Sail Smarter, Not Harder
by fringeperson
Summary: What if Usagi's average test score wasn't 30? What if she could legitimately say "I'm blonde, not dumb!" and what if... well, enough with the speculation and on with the show! I don't own Sailor Moon. Complete.
1. Chapter 1

Tsukino Usagi was fourteen years old. She was also a little clumsy and a bit of a crybaby (though she was working on that), but that was about it for the eighth-grader. She was out of bed at seven every school day (though she liked to stay in bed all day when she could get away with it), and she averaged a seventy percent mark on her tests.

Still, like any girl, she had her bad days. The last time she'd had a bad day, Haruna-sensei had sprung a surprise test on the whole class, and Usagi could admit to herself that she didn't think she'd done very well on it. Now, as she walked to school, Usagi had the nasty feeling that she was going to have _another_ bad day.

"Get it!"

"Bark, kitty! Bark!"

"Nya!"

Usagi's head snapped around at the sound of some brats making a fuss, and the cry of a tormented cat.

"Oi!" she yelled at them. "Leave it alone!" she ordered, charging up and effectively chasing them off. "You should be ashamed of yourselves!" she called after them angrily, then sighed as she looked down at the cat. "Guess I'm not the only one having a bad day," she commented, and gently lifted the cat. "It looks like they didn't do much to you," she noted. "Just stuck a bandage over your head. Here, I'll get it off. Then I've got to go. I don't _like_ school, but I have to get through it anyway," she explained absently as she pulled off the bandage. "Huh, a crescent-shaped bald spot," she noticed with surprise.

The cat lunged out of her light hold, jumped off her head, and landed on the roof of a car. From that vantage point, the cat proceeded to stare at her. Eye contact and everything.

"That's a _little_ creepy, actually," Usagi said. "Well, goodbye cat," she bid, and turned to hurry on her way.

A cat with a perfectly crescent-shaped bald-spot that was staring at her. Creepily. She knew, the _instant_ she'd rolled over in bed this morning, that it was going to be a bad day. It seemed that it had begun with a creepy cat.

~oOo~

Usagi stared in despair at her returned test paper. The one that Haruna-sensei had sprung on the class the _last_ time Usagi had been having a bad day. The glaring red pen proclaiming fifty-two percent was a way down from her average score, but at least it was still a passing grade. It was still discouraging though.

"Usagi-chan! How did you do on your test?" Umino asked as he walked up to where Usagi had been having lunch with her best friend in the courtyard.

"Umino..." Usagi greeted reluctantly.

"Can't you tell by how depressed she is?" Naru demanded. "Of course it was bad!"

"Not helping, Naru-chan," Usagi grumbled.

"Gomen!" Naru apologised quickly.

"You don't have to be so upset!" Umino insisted happily. "I didn't get a perfect this time because I didn't really try," he continued, and flourished his test paper – a bright red ninety-five written on it.

Usagi glared at him, but his thick glasses clearly didn't help him see when someone wanted him to be incinerated on the spot.

"A test is like a game," he explained. "I could tutor you if you like?" he offered.

He offered after _every_ test they had. He was the nerd in the class. He wasn't gifted with a very high IQ, but he read his text books where other people read novels or manga. He also had a crush on Usagi. A crush that was extremely obvious and equally unwanted.

"No thank you, Umino," Usagi answered flatly.

"I know what will cheer you up," Naru said with confidence. "My mother's jewellery store is having a sale at the moment. We'll go after school."

Usagi smiled a little weakly. Jewellery _was_ nice, and she was as partial to shiny stones decorating her person as any other girl her age. She knew that if she didn't take this test straight home the results wouldn't be pretty, but all the more reason to do something nice for herself. Besides which, she'd used up all of her allowance fort he month already.

Still, she could enjoy looking for a while.

"Oh, and did you hear about Sailor V?" Naru asked as the bell sounded and they headed back to class.

"Sailor V?" Usagi repeated.

"A girl in a school uniform who stopped some jewel thieves," Naru clarified. "It was all over the news last night."

Usagi shrugged. "Shingo was watching some documentary last night for a school project," she said, an explanation as to why she hadn't heard of 'Sailor V' before.

~oOo~

"Five-hundred-thousand yen to thirty-thousand," Usagi sighed once she and Naru had escaped the crush of people. "That would be nice."

"You could always ask your dad," Naru pointed out.

"Not with the grade I'm taking home," Usagi countered with a shake of her head. "He'd ask what happened to the rest of my allowance too, since it's all gone." Another thing to add to her bad day: something wonderful being waved in her face that she couldn't have.

Naru winced. "Sorry Usagi," she commiserated. "Be strong."

Usagi nodded sadly. "I'd better get home," she said. "I'll see you later."

Naru nodded in agreement, and waved as her friend left the shop.

Usagi pulled out her test again as the automatic doors closed behind her, and stared at the paper unhappily. "Oh, _die_!" she ordered it, and scrunched it up into a vindictive ball, which she proceeded to throw over her shoulder.

"Oi! Watch where you're throwing your... test papers?" a male voice behind her snapped, though the tone turned to surprise at the end. "Fifty-two percent? You should have studied harder, Odango Atama."

"Not that it's any of your business, but it was a surprise test on a bad day," Usagi countered, and reclaimed the damning paper. "I normally get around seventy percent on tests. And my name is Tsukino Usagi, not Odango Atama."

With the paper no longer a barrier between them, Usagi could see that the person had a handsome jawline, black hair, and was wearing a pair of large, mirror-black sunglasses.

The guy chuckled slightly. "Chiba Mamoru," he returned with a slight smirk. "Only seventy percent?" he asked. "You _still_ need to study harder then," he quipped.

Usagi sighed. "Yes, thank you for your insight, Chiba-san. The thought _had_ occurred to me, but study isn't any good if you don't understand what the textbook says, and the only offer of help is coming from a nerd with a crush on me. I do _not_ want to encourage him," she explained. Then blinked. "Why am I even telling you this?" she asked.

Chiba shrugged, and chuckled again. "Don't know," he answered. "But how about I buy you a milkshake or something, Tsukino-chan, and _I'll_ help you figure out where you screwed up in this test?" he offered.

Usagi blinked, and mentally went over what little yen she had left in her purse. "Alright," she allowed with a smile, "but only if I buy you a coffee or something. I can _just_ afford something to drink, and I owe you for dumping my test on your head."

Chiba smiled. "You've got a deal," he agreed, and with a last quick survey of the jewellery shop, he turned and held out a hand indicating for Usagi to lead the way.

~oOo~

"The Crown?" Chiba asked, surprised, when Usagi stopped in front of an arcade.

Usagi nodded. "I'm friends with one of the guys who works here," she answered. "He lets me have a small tab, so that if I go a bit over, I can pay it off when I get the next month's allowance. He doesn't let me spend big once I'm out of money, but a few yen here and there is okay," she explained as the doors slid open, admitting the pair.

"Konnichiwa, Usagi-chan!" called a voice from the milk bar.

"Konnichiwa, Motoki-onii-chan!" Usagi answered happily.

"Your usual?" Motoki asked. "Oh, Mamoru, Konnichiwa. What brings you out here?"

"Eh?" Usagi asked softly. "You know each other?" she asked, looking between the two men.

Chiba nodded. "We take some of the same classes as college," he explained. "Also, Motoki is probably my only friend in the world," he added with a slightly wry smile.

Motoki laughed. "I'm flattered Mamoru. You don't admit to being friends with just anybody, and certainly not _to_ just anybody. How did my best friend meet my sweet little almost-sister?" he asked.

Usagi blushed. "I threw my test paper, and it hit Chiba-san's head," she admitted sheepishly. "I'm buying him a drink in apology."

"Just a straight black coffee for me, please Motoki," Chiba said as he eased himself onto a stool by the counter. "What does Tsukino-chan here usually order?"

"Strawberry milkshake," Motoki answered. "Usagi-chan? Can you afford both today? I know it's getting to the end of the month. Your allowance is probably drying up."

Usagi nodded as she also sat down at the bar. "I can _just_ afford to buy Chiba-san a coffee," she answered with a slightly bashful smile.

"I'm buying her milkshake," Chiba said with a chuckle. "To help her concentrate while I tutor her over the test she threw at my head."

Motoki chuckled, amused, and went to fetch their drinks.

Usagi smiled to herself. Maybe her bad day wouldn't be too bad after all?

~oOo~

"Tadaima!" Usagi called as she opened the front door.

"And where have you been young lady?" demanded Ikuko, Usagi's mother, appearing in the entryway as Usagi toed off her shoes. "I expected you to be back _hours_ ago! I've been wanting to see your test results since that boy Umino called and let me know you got test papers back today."

Usagi sighed, and pulled the red-marked page from her bag. "Before you get any more upset with me," she said, holding the paper back rather than immediately handing it over, "I'm late because I found someone who's willing to tutor me, so that I _totally_ understand everything. We spent the afternoon going over this test until I knew what all of the right answers were and why. We did all of my homework too."

"A tutor?" Ikuko asked, surprised. "Usagi, you've never taken that kind of initiative before."

"I never had someone offer who wasn't Umino before," Usagi countered grouchily.

"Eh? I thought Motoki-san..." Ikuko started.

Usagi shook her head. "Motoki-onii-san will show me how to win at games in the arcade, but he does that for everybody. He doesn't really have the time to sit down and help me with study," she answered. "My new tutor is a friend of his though," Usagi added, and finally handed over the test paper.

"Fifty-two percent?" Ikuko read off, deeply unimpressed.

"It was a surprise test on a bad day," Usagi defended. "And I'm not happy with the mark either, but thanks to Chiba-san I _understand_ it now Mama. I won't get a mark like that on my English test again."

Ikuko sighed. "Alright," she allowed, and let her daughter into the house properly. "At least it isn't a failing grade, and this tutor really helped you?" she asked.

Usagi nodded happily.

"Tutor?" Kenji – Usagi's father – asked from the table. "Usagi?"

"Hai, Papa," she answered, and stepped up to give him a kiss on the cheek. "I found a tutor to help me pick my grade up."

"Tutors cost money, if I remember rightly Usagi," Kenji noted cautiously.

Usagi giggled. "It cost me a cup of coffee and letting Chiba-san tease me about my 'odangoes'," she answered, with a gesture to the two buns of hair on top of her head.

He'd called her Odango every time she messed up, and had gently tugged on her hair a couple of times when her attention had started to stray.

"That doesn't seem like a sort of arrangement that can last," Kenji said. "Is this Chiba-san really helping you?"

Usagi nodded. "Hai, Papa," she answered sincerely.

"Hm. Well, a genuinely helpful tutor is cheaper and more effective than cram school I suppose," he decided. "I'll cover the costs of these tutoring sessions when you and this Chiba-san agree on a more regular fee."

"Ah! Arigato Papa!" Usagi declared happily, and hugged him tightly.

Kenji chuckled. "You're welcome," he answered. "Now, come and sit down for dinner," he instructed, noticing that his wife was bringing out the plates of food.

~oOo~

Usagi was relaxing on her bed after dinner, silently debating to herself on the matter of getting changed – clothes or pyjamas? – when her window opened and the cat from that morning crept in.

"Eh?" she muttered, sitting up on her bed. "You haven't been following me today just because I peeled that bandage off, have you cat?" Usagi asked.

"Well, I have, but not for that reason," the cat answered. "And my name is Luna."

Usagi fell off her bed in shock. "The cat talked. A talking cat. In my room," she muttered, eyes wide.

"I need to thank you Usagi-chan," the can – Luna said. "Thank you very much for taking that bandage off. That little prank by those boys meant that I couldn't access my powers or talk. But once you took it off, I knew that _you_ were the person I've been looking for. So thanks to you, I found you!" she explained, and giggled a little as she walked across Usagi's bedspread to the girl.

"Goodnight!" Usagi said firmly, and buried her head in her arms.

"Usagi-chan, this is _not_ a dream!" Luna said firmly. "C'mon Usagi-chan!" she growled, front paws on top of Usagi's head between her buns, pushing firmly. "Fine then, I'll wake you up!" she decided, then jumped and performed a backwards somersault in the air.

A broach landed on the quilt shortly after Luna had.

Usagi peeked, to see what it was.

"Usagi-chan, this is a present for you," Luna said sweetly.

"It's very pretty," Usagi said, and reached out a hesitant hand towards the broach. She flinched away from touching it at the last moment. "But I'm blonde, not dumb. A talking cat and jewellery that wasn't there a moment ago? It's like something that happens in one of my comics. What's the catch?"

"There are strange things happening in Tokyo right now. An enemy the police can't fight. Usagi-chan, you are going to fight those enemies," Luna insisted. "You are a chosen warrior. A Senshi. Your other mission is to find our princess with the others."

Usagi breathed deeply, and held up three fingers. "What others?" she asked, and dropped a finger. "What princess?" she pressed, dropping a second finger. "And _me_, a _warrior_?" she finished incredulously, swinging the last raised finger to point at herself, rather than dropping it.

"Yes, _you_," Luna emphasised. "The others are the other guardians of the planets... I haven't found them yet. And the Princess of the Moon, who really _must_ be found. I, uh, there's some amnesia from when I served her majesty, and besides they were all reincarnated in order to save them..."

Usagi sighed. "Alright," she allowed. "This is all sounding completely ridiculous, but it's coming from a _talking cat_, so alright. How does it work?"

"Put on the broach, and then say 'moon prism power make up' to activate the transformation," Luna answered happily.

"Magical girl manga," Usagi said softly with a wince. "But, no time like the present to get the hang of it."

~oOo~

"Okay, so I can apparently get distress calls on my _hair_ now," Usagi said as she ran towards the jewellery shop Naru's mother owned. "What else?" she demanded of Luna – the cat was riding on her shoulder. "There had _better_ be other powers, and something more substantial than a skimpy outfit that doesn't even hide my identity in any way, because I have never in my life been a fighter."

"Well, you're already running faster than a normal human could," Luna pointed out.

"Tch," Usagi grumbled. "This is how fast I run normally. I've always been fast. It means I often don't see things before I run _into_ them, but I've always been fast."

"Oh," Luna said softly, stunned. "Uh, there's your tiara," she offered. "You say 'moon tiara action', and throw it. That will vaporise monsters."

"Good to know," Usagi said firmly. "I want more details once we've save Naru-chan," she added.

When they reached the shop, Usagi had to do a lot _more_ running around to avoid attacks on her person by the people who had been customers earlier in the day, and, as _frequently_ happened when she was running around a lot, Usagi tripped over something she hadn't seen in an effort to avoid something she _had_.

The monster launched an attack as Usagi – crybaby that she was – fought _back_ her tears in an effort to still come to Naru's rescue. She was fourteen years old though, and was far from used to this sort of thing. Upon spotting the clawed hand rushing at her, Usagi froze where she sat.

A flash of red, and a brilliant rose appeared, struck into the floor between herself and the monster – distraction enough to halt the monster's attack.

"Who's there?" the monster demanded.

"I am Tuxedo Kamen," the man standing in a high open window answered. "Crying isn't going to solve anything, Sailor Moon," he added firmly.

"I know," Usagi answered, and sniffed as she pulled herself to her feet. "But I'm new to this, okay?" she demanded as she wiped furiously at her tears. Usagi took the tiara from her forehead, felt it change in her hand and she circled it around. "Moon tiara action!" she yelled, and threw it at the monster.

Thankfully, the thing was too dumb to dodge, and was turned to dust.

"No way," Usagi breathed, shocked.

"Good job, Sailor Moon," Tuxedo Kamen complimented from his high window, one hand holding out his opera cape dramatically. "I will remember this night," he promised. Then he swept his cape around and jumped out of the window.

"You did well, Sailor Moon," Luna agreed.

"For a fourteen-year-old girl who's never done anything like this before, I think I did better than just 'well'," Usagi countered happily, and bent to pick up the rose that Tuxedo Kamen had thrown – and pretty much saved her life with. "I'm going to hang this rose to dry so that I can keep it forever, and then I'm going to go to _sleep_," she said firmly.

~oOo~

The next morning, Usagi was still tired when she settled at her desk in class, and decided to take a nap while she waited for the teacher. She _had_ fought a monster the previous night. That was tiring stuff! She deserved a little extra kip.

Around her, Naru and a couple of her other classmates, Yumiko and Kuri, who had been at the jewellery store were talking about having a 'dream' where they'd been saved by Sailor Moon – warrior for justice and love.

Honestly, Usagi had _no_ idea what had possessed her to say that. She was fairly sure it _was_ some sort of possession as well. Nothing else could explain it, not even the too-many-magical-girl-comics argument. It was the same as when she hadn't had control over her body during that transformation bit after calling 'moon prism power make up', or from the moment she'd reached up for her tiara – the motions she'd gone through there had _just happened_ as well, once she'd had it in her head that she was going to do it, and had the time and space to execute the move.

"Isn't that strange Usagi? Hey Usagi!" Naru called, wanting her friend's opinion on how she and two other girls in their class had all had the same 'dream'.

"I'm tired," Usagi answered. "Wake me up when Haruna-sensei gets in please."

"Usagi!" Naru objected.

Usagi sighed and straightened in her chair. "The chances of three people having the _exact_ same dream are slim to none," Usagi pointed out. "The chances of three people having the _exact_ same dream on the _same_ _night_ are even less than that. Maybe it was real, rather than a dream?" she suggested sleepily, and yawned again.

"Everybody please take your seats," Haruna-sensei instructed as she entered the room then, thereby preventing Naru or either of the other girls from making any kind of comment on what Usagi had said.

For once, she was actually glad that class was starting. Even if she wasn't getting a nap in.

~oOo~

"Ah, Chiba-san," Usagi greeted, surprise in her tone, as she rounded the corner and very nearly bumped into him. "Gomen."

Chiba chuckled. "No harm done," he deferred.

"I'm glad I almost ran into you though," Usagi said. "There's something I need to talk to you about."

"Homework?" Chiba suggested.

Usagi giggled. "Not today," she answered happily. "I mean, yes, I have _some_ homework, but I got on top of it during self-study period today, so it's mostly done already!" she said proudly. "I'm even fairly sure I got everything right too!"

Chiba smiled then, and it seemed to echo back her pride.

"Though, I would really appreciate you checking it, just to make sure," she added bashfully. "Um, that's not what I needed to talk to you about though. What I need to talk to you about is tutoring fees," Usagi stated softly, calming down. "Papa said he'd be willing to pay, if we can agree on a regular fee. He said he didn't think that me just paying for your coffee and letting you tease me about my hair would be an arrangement that could last."

Chiba nodded. "That makes sense," he agreed. "Well, how about right now I walk you home. I'll check the homework you've done when we get there, help you with what you haven't done, and when your dad gets home, he and I can talk about it."

Usagi smiled. "That sounds good," she agreed with a smile. "But I warn you, Papa is very protective of his 'little princess', you may never have a job interview as terrifying. You'll need to get Mama on your side first."

Chiba laughed. "It's a good thing I'm charming then," he suggested.

Usagi laughed as well, and with a smile led him back to her house. "Well, Motoki-onii-san survived meeting Papa, so I'm sure you will as well," she agreed. "You aren't even bringing me home in tears like Motoki-onii-san did."

Chiba frowned. "What happened?" he asked.

Usagi shrugged a little uncomfortably, eyes ahead to make sure she didn't run into anything as they walked. "It was two years ago. I was at the arcade after school, I stood up from my chair and found that there was blood on the seat. I was hysterical. Motoki-onii-san had just gotten his driver's licence, so he drove me home and then had to talk to my dad while Mama comforted me," Usagi explained quietly, a deep blush on her face.

Chiba was _also_ blushing. Had been since shortly into the story. "Ah," he said awkwardly.

"Sorry, that was an embarrassing story," Usagi said softly. "But you asked," she pointed out.

Chiba winced a little sheepishly. "I did," he agreed. "And if I want to be a doctor, I've got to be able to handle those kinds of stories."

"A doctor?" Usagi parroted. "That's a lot of studying, isn't it?"

Chiba nodded. "It is, but I enjoy it, mostly."

Usagi giggled. "Mostly?" she teased lightly.

Chiba chuckled, glad for the change of topic. "Yeah, mostly. There are some nights when I don't get _any_ sleep, I'm so busy studying."

"That's not good. Sleep is important for a healthy mind," Usagi noted softly. "Oh, we're here already," she said, and blinked in surprise as she stopped in front of her home.

"It's a nice house," Chiba complimented.

Usagi smiled. "Well, please come in," she invited, and skipped up the path to the door. "Tadaima!" she called as she opened it.

"Okaeri nasai!" Ikuko answered from the kitchen, and then stepped out into the hall where she could see her daughter. "You brought a guest?"

"Mama, this is Chiba-san," Usagi introduced.

"Ah, the tutor you told us about yesterday," Ikuko said with an understanding nod. "Please come in."

"Thank you," Chiba answered, and bowed slightly as he toed his shoes off in the doorway.

"Such a polite young man too," Ikuko said happily. "I'll make you some snacks to eat while you study, alright?"

"Only if it wouldn't trouble you, Tsukino-san," Chiba said.

"No trouble at all!" Ikuko chirped, and disappeared back into the kitchen.

Usagi giggled softly behind her hand. "You have effectively charmed my mother, that's a little scary," she whispered.

Chiba just smirked back. "It's a gift. Come on, Odango," he teased lightly. "Let's see that homework of yours."

"Hai!"


	2. Chapter 2

Chiba had taken to meeting Usagi at the gates of her school when class let out. His university wasn't far from her school, and conveniently enough, he didn't have any classes for the first hour after Usagi's school let out. Some days he _only_ had that first hour, other days (like the day they'd met) he didn't have any more classes at all. A benefit to being only a part-time student. Not taking the full load all at once also meant that he could give each subject more of his attention, so he was getting better grades, even if he would probably take more than the standard five years to become a doctor.

"Huh?" Usagi exclaimed softly in surprise as she halted their forward movement to look back at a spot they'd just passed. "There's usually a big line here," she noted, looking down into an alley where an old man had set up a table for fortune telling.

"There is," Chiba agreed, and the pair stepped into the space to talk to the old man. "What happened?" he asked.

The old man chuckled a little sadly. "I guess it's because there's competition now. Look," he suggested, and pointed out between them to a large, flashing sign across the road from him directly that read 'House of Fortune'.

"It's awfully gaudy," Usagi noted when she turned to look. "What is that?"

"The beauty from Juubangai," the old man answered.

"The same kind of fortune telling that you do?" Chiba asked, curious.

"Ah," the old man answered, and looked a bit sad. "Everybody likes new things," he said.

Usagi dug into her bag, then stepped up to his table again, gave a bright smile, and offered her palm hopefully. "Read me?" she requested.

The old man smiled. "Oh, thank you, young lady," he said, sincerely grateful, and picked up a magnifying glass so that he could read her palm better. "There is a man that likes you right now, and it's someone you see all the time," the old man said.

Usagi surprised Chiba by wincing at that bit of information. "Arigato," she said softly, and reached for her purse, to pay for the fortune he'd given her.

"Oh, I seem to have not given you good news?" the old man asked, concerned.

"I know there's a boy in my class who likes me, but... un," she said, and bit her lower lip. "He's..."

The old man chuckled softly, and patted her hand comfortingly. "Young lady, just because your palm tells me that there is someone who likes you right now, that doesn't mean you have to act on it," he explained kindly.

Usagi relaxed. "Ah, arigato!" she said happily, bowed gratefully, and turned to Chiba. "Huh, Chiba-san?" she asked.

He was eyeing the gaudy building across the street, but jerked a little when she called his name, and turned his attention to her. "Sorry," he said. "There's just something about that place that doesn't seem right to me."

The old man smiled. "There are _few_ real fortune tellers who actually advertise that way," he explained. "The larger the sign, often, the less gifted they are at divining things. You have good senses young man, if you can tell that sort of thing just by looking."

Chiba shifted, a little discomforted by the observation, but said nothing.

Usagi blinked and stared up at the sign. "I just can't get past how gaudy it is," she admitted with a shrug.

Chiba and the old man both chuckled at her in amusement.

"Come on Tsukino, you have homework to do, and Motoki is on shift at the arcade today, so I'll get a coffee and you'll get a milkshake while you do it." Chiba ordered lightly.

"Hai, Chiba-taicho!" Usagi said with a grin and a salute that made him (and the old man) laugh again.

~oOo~

"Eh? Usagi? What are you doing out so late after school still in your uniform?"

Usagi turned, surprised. "Ah, Papa!" she greeted happily. "Chiba-san decided to have today's tutoring session at the café in the arcade," she explained.

Kenji nodded in acceptance. "Alright," he allowed. "I'd forgotten that Chiba-san said he'd tutor you there more often than at our house, so that he could talk with Motoki-san about university while you worked," he admitted with a smile.

"He has only been my tutor for a week," Usagi said, defending her father's memory easily. "And you've been shopping," she noted.

Kenji chuckled. "Yes," he agreed with a smile. "I got home early for once, and your mother caught me."

"You're sweet Papa," Usagi said happily.

"Well, when I leave all the housework to your mother, this is the least I can do," he said, holding up the shopping bags for emphasis. "And as a bonus, I get to walk home with my princess," he added with a grin.

"Ehe!" Usagi chirped happily, and turned to walk with her dad back home. "Oh, actually Papa, I've been meaning to ask you something, but it isn't the sort of thing I want to ask over the dinner table," she said.

"Oh?"

Usagi nodded. "It isn't something I _want_ to do, but I think it's something I probably _should_," she started. "Since I'm in eighth grade now, and the boys and girls in my class are starting to talk about dating..." she said softly.

"You are _not_ getting a boyfriend before you're sixteen Usagi," Kenji said firmly. "You're much too young."

Usagi blinked. "That wasn't what I was going to ask," she said. "There aren't any boys in my class that I'd want to date," she added when he looked at her doubtfully.

Her father's shoulders relaxed slightly. "Alright, what then?" he asked.

"Self defence," Usagi answered. "I don't like the idea of fighting, but... what if one of the boys decides one day to not take 'no' for an answer?" she asked a little fearfully. "I know that at least one of the boys in class has a crush on me, and I don't like the idea of him taking my first kiss because I couldn't stop him."

It was not in the least bit put on. It was a genuine concern, and as she thought about it, tears started to gather – she was a bit of a crybaby after all. She was working on it, but she was still a bit of a crybaby.

It wasn't the only reason she was asking though. She was also asking because – as much as she really, _really_ didn't like the idea of fighting – Luna was determined that she, Tsukino Usagi, was a _chosen warrior_ with a _mission_, and that meant she'd almost definitely be doing _more_ fighting. Frankly, she felt fortunate that, after that first incident, she'd been able to have a week without that sort of thing. The comics she read made it seem like the heroine had to fight a new enemy every day!

"That's a very responsible thing of you to say," Kenji noted softly. "And I don't like the idea of my little princess fighting either, but self defence... well, I like the idea of some scum boy taking advantage of my little princess even less than the idea of you fighting. I'll talk it over with your mother tonight after dinner, okay? If she agrees, and she probably will, then we'll look at dojos in the area this weekend, okay?"

"Ah! Thank you Papa!" Usagi cheered happily. "And who knows? Maybe it will help with my clumsiness!"

Her father laughed, and they walked together down the street quietly until...

"Usagi, is that cat following us?" Kenji asked a few minutes later.

"She's my friend!" Usagi answered quickly.

"You have some odd friends," he noted with amusement.

~oOo~

"Did Umino say anything to you?" Naru asked the next morning.

"About what?" Usagi countered, a little warily. Naru was a great friend, but she was also a dedicated romantic, and didn't think too much about the 'other' party when someone approached her for help in their romantic endeavours.

"I think Umino likes you," Naru stated plainly.

"Eh?!" Usagi yelped. Her friend was only _just_ figuring it out? Clearly, they didn't talk enough. Or else Naru was dimmer than Usagi had been led to believe.

"But," Naru continued, wrapping one of Usagi's arms around her own in a confiding gesture, "he's so innocent he's too shy to say anything!"

"Usagi! Let's go on a date!" Umino's voice said from just behind them.

Usagi stiffened. "You were saying?" she asked Naru lowly as she turned, unwillingly, to look at the boy who had just asked her out. "What's -?!" Usagi nearly yelped at the sight of him.

Umino hadn't done anything about his glasses or hair, but he was wearing a _suit_. Not the uniform, but a suit. A suit with matching pale blue trousers and jacket, a rust-coloured vest, a grey tie... and a pink shirt. None of it matched, and none of it suited Umino.

"It's not a good idea to wear those sorts of clothes to school," Naru pointed out.

"It's not a good idea to wear those sorts of clothes at all," Usagi said under her breath. Few and far between were the guys who could wear pink shirts. Fewer still were guys who could wear pink shirts with pale blue suits.

"Who cares?" Umino asked, and closed the distance between himself and Usagi. "Let's go on a date today!"

"You've gotten brave all of a sudden," Naru noted pleasantly while Usagi fished for a way to refuse politely.

"Umino-kun," Haruna-sensei said in her scolding voice. "What is that outfit?"

Umino just smirked at her and pulled a roll – probably his lunch – out of his bag and stuck the end into his mouth.

"Umino-kun, what _are_ you thinking?!" Haruna-sensei demanded.

Umino walked past her and flipped her skirt up as he went. "Thinking this!" he answered cheekily, then laughed before he continued walking.

Haruna-sensei's hands had immediately gone to her skirt to keep it from flying up the _whole_ way around, but her back-side had _definitely_ been shown off, and her cheeks darkened in embarrassment as her skirt settled back into its right place. Abruptly, she burst into tears. "No one will marry me now!" she wailed, and fell to her knees on the floor.

"Haruna-sensei!" Usagi yelped in sympathy, and pulled out her handkerchief. "Here," she said, offering the linen square. "Only Naru-chan and I saw, and we won't tell any one," she promised.

"Right," Naru agreed quickly.

Haruna-sensei sniffled a moment, wiped her face, then looked up at the girls. Two of her students. "Thank you," she said softly. She gave one last sniff, and pulled herself to her feet. "It's time for class soon," she informed them in a business-like manner. "I'll see you there."

"Hai, sensei," the girls agreed.

Umino wasn't the only one acting strange though. Yuuji tripped Haruna-sensei in class, and they and a bunch of other boys threw stones through windows into the teacher's lounge. Naru was ready to go up to them and demand to know what they were doing, but Usagi held her back. After all, if they were doing that sort of thing to the grown-ups, what would they do to helpless female classmates?

Just before they heard the first smash of glass, Naru had been telling Usagi that she'd suggested Umino go to the House of Fortune, and she was fairly sure that Yuuji had as well. Naru, for all that she was an _excellent_ source of information sometimes, probably didn't even realise the link. Usagi, on the other hand, did. More than that, she remembered Chiba had said that the place didn't seem _right_. There was also what the old man had said to take into account as well.

A fake fortune teller.

~oOo~

"Is that yours?" Chiba asked, the corner of his mouth ticked up as he looked over Usagi's shoulder at something sitting on the wall of their booth.

Usagi turned and found herself face to face with Luna. "Eh? Luna? What are you doing here?" she asked.

Luna hopped down from the booth to their table, and tugged on Usagi's sleeve.

"Looks to me like she's proving that, like all cats, she's the one who's boss," Chiba said with a chuckle. "I think we were pretty much done today anyway," he allowed with a smile.

Usagi smiled back. "Thank you for taking such good care of me, Chiba-san," she said, and bowed politely (or as best she could with a cat hanging off one sleeve). "Alright Luna, I'm coming. Just let me pack my homework away!" she complained, exasperated.

"You have a mission to complete, Sailor Moon," Luna reminded Usagi quietly as they walked the streets. "Something evil is causing the incidents with your classmates."

Usagi nodded. "So they're probably being controlled," she said thoughtfully. "The only other common link between all of them is that they went to the House of Fortune yesterday."

"Ah! Great job finding that out!" Luna praised. "Let's go!"

"Eh? Fighting again?" Usagi complained. "I'm kind of scared," she admitted.

Luna looked back at her with a frown on her face. "What are you talking about?" she demanded. "You're a chosen warrior! A Senshi!"

"I'm _fourteen_," Usagi answered, but sighed and followed the talking cat back to the House of Fortune.

"Time to transform," Luna instructed Usagi when they were hidden in a small gap between buildings and she had ascertained that the coast was clear.

"Do I have to?" Usagi asked with an unhappy sigh.

"Yes," Luna answered firmly. "You have to."

Usagi pulled a face, but did as she was told.

~oOo~

Usagi flinched when she realised she'd been chased into a corner. She could not get self defence lessons soon enough. _This_ was why she was scared when Luna told her she would be fighting again. Hypnotised _people_ – people she couldn't vaporise with her magic tiara – chasing after her and intent on causing her harm. And she'd had that minor-possession thing happen again, where she just stood there and waved her arms around as she announced herself to the enemy.

Then the boys who had been looming over her all froze. Barely inches away from touching her, they just stopped.

"Another intruder? Who's there?!" the monstrous woman demanded.

Usagi looked too as she wiggled her way out of the corner she'd been caught in. "My hero," she said with a grateful sigh, hand over her heart, as Tuxedo Kamen gave a satisfied, slightly smirking smile. He'd saved her life _again_. Hero was the _right word_ for this guy.

He wasn't a great distance away as he had been during Usagi's last brief encounter with him, this time just leaning against the door that she herself had entered by. Close enough for her to get a better look at him. Even with the mask hiding his eyes, the rest of his face was very handsome, and the way he just casually leant against the door after saving her she didn't even know how...

"Don't give up, no matter how hard it is," he told her, his tone supportive and his smile genuine.

Usagi blinked. That sounded familiar... Now was not the time to dwell though. "Hai," she agreed, and turned where she stood. She reached for her tiara.

When the monster was dust, Usagi turned back to the door, but Tuxedo Kamen was already gone. Usagi sighed softly in disappointment, and looked around the room. Cards floated up from the boy's who had been hypnotised, and they dissolved the same as the dust from the monster... and there was a rose wedged in the wall at eye-level.

Usagi smiled and collected it. The first rose was still drying, and she planned to buy a nice, simple vase and a glass cover to display the dried flower. She'd dry this rose as well, and it would join the first. If Tuxedo Kamen continued to save her this way, she'd end up with quite a collection of dried roses. That was really a pleasant thought.

But there was something familiar about him, now that she'd gotten to see him from close up. And what he'd said... Chiba-san had said that to her as encouragement over a tricky maths problem just that afternoon! That was why it had sounded familiar.

Usagi giggled softly to herself. Of course, there was no way that she could just ask Chiba-san if he had a secret, mask-wearing, super-hero alter-ego. It would be embarrassing if she'd guessed wrong, and hard to explain if she guessed right. She'd sit on the idea a while. Gather more clues if she could.

Get those self defence classes so that she wouldn't need to be rescued quite so often. However much she found it kind of romantic to have a guy in a sharp suit and mysterious mask come to her rescue, being in the situation of needing to be rescued was not her idea of a good time.

~oOo~

There had been a lot of talk from the girls in class about a late-night radio show. Apparently, a few of the older years listened to it last thing after getting home from evening cram school, and then talk about it had gotten more of the girls throughout the school listening to it. Usagi wasn't generally inclined towards staying up late. Staying out after school, sure, but up late? Not so much. She'd been up _very_ late the first time she'd done the transformation bit, turned into Sailor Moon, and saved Naru from the monster.

Hence why she had wanted to get another nap in before class the next morning.

But... There was nothing to stop her from recording the show and listening to it the next afternoon when she got home.

"You are a chosen warrior," Luna said firmly as Usagi set up her radio to record. "A Senshi. You have a very important mission. You can't be wasting your time on late-night radio!"

"Luna, I'm fourteen. My very important mission is to graduate from school with good marks," Usagi countered. "But besides that, I have fought and _killed_ two monsters in as many weeks, and because of it I've started attending a self defence class every other day after tutoring with Chiba-san. I _need_ something normal and frivolous every now and then, or I'll completely flip my lid!" Usagi explained a little heatedly.

Luna had the grace to look a little sheepish at that.

"Sometimes that will be my comics, sometimes that will be a game at the arcade on days when I don't have self defence classes to hurry to after tutoring with Chiba-san. Tonight, that's setting my radio to record a late-night radio show so that I can listen to it on my way to school tomorrow morning," Usagi said more gently. "Now, no terrible, terrifying news of monsters tonight, okay?" she requested hopefully. "I'm going to sleep. Goodnight Luna."

"Goodnight, Usagi," Luna answered softly.

~oOo~

"Hmm, I'd like a flower broach," Usagi mused as she walked to school with her headphones on, listening to the show she'd recorded the previous night. "I've never written a love letter before though, and then there's the matter of who I'd write it to..." she mused, then shrugged, putting it out of her mind as she removed her headphones and tucked her walkman into her bag before stepping through the school gates.

It turned out that she could have saved herself the walk.

Haruna-sensei arrived (late) to class, and then when she finally stumbled in (literally), she was dropping books as she came. She tiredly declared that they would have a self-study day, and then fell asleep in front of them all.

They tried yelling, they tried poking, they tried shaking, one of the boys even went and got a glass of water to throw on Haruna-sensei's face. She still didn't wake up.

One of the girls who _had_ to have a mobile phone with her at all times (because of family issues that were vaguely known of and definitely _not_ talked about) called the ambulance, while one of the boys went to the office to tell one of the staff what had happened. And that an ambulance had already been called.

"What do you suppose it was, Usagi-chan?" Umino asked as they watched Haruna-sensei be carried away on a stretcher, still asleep.

"How would I know?" Usagi countered. "I'm not a doctor!"

"I've heard something about a sleeping sickness," Naru offered. "Some new, unknown disease that's going around, that when a person goes to sleep, they don't wake up again."

Usagi blinked as she absorbed that. On one hand, that sounded great – getting to sleep all the time, dreaming all the time, sounded really nice. On the other hand, that meant never getting to eat again, not ever _really_ seeing the people she cared about ever again, _worrying_ the people who cared about _her_ by not waking up...

And Luna would be grouchy with her too, because sleeping all the time would mean she wouldn't complete the crazy dangerous mission that the talking cat had given her.

With the self-study day assigned to them owing to their teacher being... unwell... Usagi headed for the part of the school library where the newspapers were kept, and looked for whatever there was on this new disease that Haruna-sensei seemed to have contracted.

Pictures of other sleepers showed that they were all wearing the same flower brooch as Haruna-sensei, and Usagi's mind went back to the flower brooch that was promised to any listener whose love letter got read on Midnight Zero. It was deeply suspicious, but they could have all just bought the same brooch from a shop by coincidence.

Usagi flipped the paper over to the guide that said which programmes were on when on the different radio stations, and was confronted with another irregularity. There was _supposed_ to be a chapter of a mystery novel being read at that time, not love letters. Usagi frowned at the discovery.

All very suspicious, but no solid _proof_, as such.

"Hey, Usagi! We're all writing love letters to send to Midnight Zero!" Naru called in a whisper – library and all. "You want to sit with us and write one too?" she asked.

Usagi shrugged. "I don't have anybody I'd write a love letter to," she pointed out.

Naru giggled and shook her head. "It doesn't matter," she countered. "Write a love letter to you future boyfriend," she suggested.

"I don't know how that would work out, but alright," Usagi agreed with another shrug, and left the newspapers to sit with Naru and a few of the other girls.

~oOo~

"How was class today?" Chiba asked when he collected Usagi from the school gate.

"Very easy," Usagi answered with a laugh. "Haruna-sensei fell asleep, so we all had self-study. We'll have a substitute if she isn't back tomorrow, but it looks like she has that sleeping disease that's been going around lately, so that's likely to happen."

"Ne, Usagi-chan, who's this?" Naru asked, hurrying up to her.

"Oh, you haven't met before. Naru-chan, this is Chiba-san, my tutor. Chiba-san, this is Osaka Naru-chan, my best friend," Usagi presented.

"Konnichiwa Osaka-san," Chiba greeted politely before he turned to Usagi. "Does that mean you have no homework today?" he asked.

Usagi shook her head. "It means I have _more_," she countered. "The teacher wrote out on the board what work we were to have done, and whatever we didn't do during school hours, we'd have to do at home."

Naru blushed. "That's my fault," she said. "I encouraged Usagi-chan to write a love letter to a future boyfriend, to send to Midnight Zero to be read on the radio," Naru explained sheepishly, then pouted. "Usagi-chan still probably got more of her work done today than I did though," she added.

Chiba stifled a laugh, nodded in understanding, and started to walk – clearly intending for Usagi to simply follow once she'd bid her friend goodbye for the afternoon.

"He's handsome," Naru whispered to Usagi. "Why didn't you write a love letter to _him_, rather than some imaginary future boyfriend?"

"He's a college student!" Usagi hissed back. "I'm fourteen. The age gap is kind of significant right now!"

"Coming, Tsukino-chan?" Chiba called from a few steps away.

"Hai!" Usagi answered. "See you tomorrow Naru-chan."

~oOo~

Again, Usagi listened to the previous night's Midnight Zero on her walkman as she headed to school, and this time she heard the host of the show read out Naru's letter. The one that Naru had written rather than working on her school work the previous day.

In class, before the bell sounded, Naru was pleased to show off a little parcel that had arrived in the mail that morning. She hadn't opened it yet, but it was surely the flower brooch from Midnight Zero.

"Open it!" the Kuri insisted.

"Hurry, hurry!" Yumiko agreed.

Naru obliged... and revealed a flower brooch identical to the one that Haruna-sensei had been wearing the day before. "I guess Haruna-sensei was the 'Haruna In Love' from the other night," Naru said as she pinned the brooch to her shirt, just over her heart. "Oh, I'm feeling sleepy," she noted next, and her eyes started to droop.

Usagi's eyes went wide. That fast? Haruna-sensei would have had to put the brooch on immediately before walking in the door if it was the cause of the sleeping 'disease', which Usagi was becoming more and more certain was the case.

Naru was taken to the hospital, just like Haruna-sensei had been the day before.

~oOo~

"Tsukino-dango-chan," Chiba scolded lightly as they sat in the arcade after she had been let out from school, and gently tugged on one of her pigtails. "You're not paying attention to your homework."

"Ah, gomen, Chiba-san. Naru-chan went to the hospital today," Usagi apologised.

Chiba blinked. "Eh? The girl you introduced me to yesterday? She looked very healthy to me," he commented.

Usagi nodded. "Hai. She just fell asleep today, like Haruna-sensei yesterday, and wouldn't wake up," she explained.

"Well, it makes sense that you would be concerned about your friend," Chiba allowed. "You're a good friend, Tsukino-chan. Still, it's important to be able to get things done even though you're worried about something."

Usagi understood that, and nodded. "Hai," she agreed. "Ne, Chiba-san? Do you have anything that worries you, that you have to put aside while you study?" she asked.

Chiba was silent a while, then nodded slightly. "Lately, I've been having black-outs. Not ever for very long, just a few minutes mostly, but it's a concern, and I'm always tired when I come to again, and my legs hurt like I ran a lot while I was unconscious."

Usagi blinked. "That _is_ a worry," she agreed. "Right, if you can still get excellent scores on your papers when you have black-outs to worry about, then I can get excellent scores on my homework while a friend is in hospital!" Usagi decided, and pumped a fist in determination before she knuckled down to look over the question again. "Um... but I'm going to need help," she added softly, and looked up at Chiba hopefully.

He laughed, then bent over her and started to explain the theory of the equation she was trying to solve.

Luna interrupted the study session not five minutes later, a fierce expression on her face.

"I'm beginning to think my cat doesn't care about my grades," Usagi grumbled as she packed up her things. "Gomen, Chiba-san," she apologised. "And again thank you for taking such good care of me," she added as she stood from her seat.

"Go, maybe if she has some milk, she'll be in a better mood," Chiba suggested with a slight smirk – a smirk that had Usagi doing a double-take. She'd seen that smirk before – but on Tuxedo Kamen's face, not Chiba-san's.

"Grown cats are supposed to have water, not milk," Usagi said as she blinked back her shock, and looked down at Luna.

Who was pouting up at her.

Usagi sighed. "Maybe milk _will_ make a difference," she agreed. "I'll see you in a couple of days, Chiba-san," she bid. "I know," she said once they were outside. "Midnight Zero and their flower brooches are suspicious, the only thing to do is investigate, and that means going out to FM ten this evening and checking it out. You're lucky tomorrow isn't a school day, and that my self defence class isn't until the afternoon."

Luna blinked. "That's very thoughtful of you Usagi-chan," Luna said with approval.

"Blonde, not stupid," Usagi said firmly, then sighed. "Well, let's go home. I want to get out of my school uniform, and we should think of a way to get past security into the building."

"That is easy," Luna said happily, and did one of her magic little back flips that conjured an item – that fell to the ground.

Usagi bent to pick it up.

"A new item," Luna said with a smile. "The Luna Pen. You simply call out 'moon power', and it will transform you into whatever you ask."

Usagi blinked at that, impressed. "So it can turn me into a beautiful newscaster, and I'll be able to get in that way," she decided.

"Did you have to add in the 'beautiful'?" Luna asked.

"Beautiful people get told 'yes' a lot more often than plain people," Usagi answered with a firm nod.

Luna sighed, but conceded the point.

~oOo~

Usagi grabbed a bit of paper and scrawled a hasty note once she was in the building, and delivered it to the studio where Midnight Zero was being broadcast from.

"Excuse me? But you're wanted on the roof," Usagi said, handing the note over to the woman who was standing, watching 'J-Dite' as he read love letters into the microphone. The crew who were _supposed_ to be working on the radio show that was _supposed_ to be broadcasting then were all asleep around her.

Usagi quickly ducked out again, and ran for the stairs to the roof, transforming as she went. She had just enough time to catch her breath before an ugly purple-skinned woman in a torn-up teal toga joined her, an unpleasant grin on her face.

Usagi didn't waste time. She immediately reached for her tiara and sent it at the monster woman.

The monster dodged, but Usagi smiled to herself as, with a gesture, she (somehow) made her tiara come around again like a boomerang. It caught the monster in the back and continued through her stomach, cutting her in two before she dissolved completely.

"Dusted," Usagi said happily.

"So you're the one who keeps interfering with us," a voice noted from behind her.

Usagi turned to see 'J-Dite', the radio host for Midnight Zero. He was frowning at her. "Are you the boss then?" she asked.

"My name is Jadeite," he answered with a sneer. "Do you want to fight with _me_ now?" he offered.

"Want to? No. Will? That's another matter entirely," Usagi answered, and didn't hesitate after that to send her tiara at the bad guy. However handsome he was, he was the bad guy. That meant that (unless she could figure out a trick to make him _good_, but she was fairly sure that the moon tiara stardust wouldn't work on him, and he would be a bad first-subject to test it) he needed to be dusted the same as his minion had been.

Unfortunately, Jadeite proved himself to be stronger than his minions, not just higher up in the chain of command. He raised his hand and stopped her tiara before it reached him. That had never happened before.

"You're kidding me! That's never happened before!" Usagi wailed before she could stop herself. It wasn't professional. She knew that. She was just a little (or more than a little) panicked by her one serious 'magical' attack being rendered useless!

And he had the nerve to _smirk_ at her.

Okay, she could handle this. Her self defence classes weren't meant for attacking with, but she could adjust. Usagi grit her teeth and charged at him.

Jadeite raised a hand and formed some kind of barrier between them. When she hit it, Usagi was sent flying back, and landed harshly on the rooftop.

"Ouch," she groaned softly, and forced herself to get up. With the pain from the rough landing, it was slightly slow going, and she could hear Jadeite advancing on her, one step at a time. She turned to look – taking her eyes off the enemy was bad – and he was wearing a superior, satisfied expression before he even reached her.

Not good.

Usagi grit her teeth and shifted. If nothing else, she should be able to land a good solid kick on him when he got close enough. The female self defence teacher had said it was a good basic for a girl to fall back on in emergencies against a male aggressor. The male self defence teacher and winced and frowned at her for telling the students that, but nodded, however reluctantly.

Before Jadeite got that close though, a rose appeared, the stem cutting into the roof like it was butter, and warning against Jadeite advancing any further.

Usagi watched as surprise and then... frustrated bewilderment crossed Jadeite's face for just a fraction of a second before he schooled his face back into a devious smirk. He jumped back, disappeared, reappeared in the air, and then vanished into a black portal. Carefully, Usagi got to her feet and pulled the rose from where it was lodged in the roof.

"We'll meet again!" Tuxedo Kamen called as he leapt away across the rooftops.

Usagi sighed. He really was very dashing. She winced at herself. In more ways than one. That was a terrible mental pun. Then another thought occurred to her. "Luna," she called softly. "Luna?" she called, more loudly, when the cat didn't immediately appear.

"Hai?" the little cat answered, appearing at her feet. "How did the fight go? I'm sorry, you got here faster than I could."

"The boss bad guy got away. He knows what I look like. What's to stop him from finding out who I am?" Usagi asked.

Luna smiled. "There's more magic to being Sailor Moon than just a change of clothes and a magic tiara," she said, pleased. "There's a special magic that prevents enemies from recognising you too easily when you're living your normal life."

"Oh, well, if you're sure," Usagi said, doubtful but somewhat relieved with the presentation of that information – information Luna had neglected to mention when being questioned before. "Now, time to go home."


	3. Chapter 3

"Eh? Wah!" Usagi cried when she stepped onto her scales. "Not possible! Not possible!"

"Usagi? What's the matter?" Ikuko asked as she, Kenji and Shingo all stuck there heads in through the bathroom door.

"I don't get it!" Usagi wailed. "I haven't been eating more than usual, and with the self defence classes I've been working out more, and all the study burns calories too, right? So why have I _gained weight_?" she demanded tearfully.

"Oh Usagi," Ikuko said, and shooed the boys away while she stepped into the bathroom. "There there," she cooed.

"I'm _fat_!" Usagi wailed in despair. "Fat, fat, _fat_!"

"You are _not_ fat," Ikuko said firmly. "You're growing. Some of that weight will have come from you getting taller," she pointed out. "And some of that weight will be muscle mass. Muscles weigh more than fat."

Usagi blinked. "They do?" she asked, surprised.

Ikuko nodded with a comforting smile on her face. "They do," she confirmed. "And now that I look at you in just a towel... I think we need to do some shopping. Your papa won't be happy, but I think you're developing young."

"Developing?" Usagi repeated with a wide-eyed squeak.

Ikuko gave a wink. "You can thank me for that," she said with a conspiratorial smile and a gesture to Usagi's chest. "Just like some day you may decide to dye your hair darker, like I do to fit in here in Tokyo, you need to shop for a proper, supportive bra younger than most _full_ Japanese girls."

Ikuko had been born in America, and was actually a natural blonde. She'd been adopted by a Japanese couple when her parents had died in an accident on a holiday in Osaka, and they'd given her a new Japanese name (though she did know that her birth name was Ilene Farris, since her adopted parents had told her when she was old enough to ask about that). Ikuko had kept her blonde hair throughout her school years, but as she grew up, and grew older, having blonde hair just made her stand out. A dark, blue-black dye was used on her hair as regularly as shampoo and conditioner. Her curvy, Western frame was also quite different to the slimmer Japanese build, and Ikuko even wore coloured contacts (though her eye-sight was just fine) so that her bright blue eyes didn't give her away as too much of a foreigner.

The structure of her face and the colour of her skin gave that away quite _enough_ really.

"B-bra?!" Usagi squeaked.

Ikuko nodded solemnly. "Tomorrow afternoon I will meet you at that arcade where you and Chiba-kun have your tutoring sessions, and once you're done with your homework, you and I will go shopping. Okay?"

"Okay. I still don't feel good about weighing more though," Usagi said quietly.

"Don't worry about what the scale says," Ikuko encouraged. "Only think about the size number on the clothes you buy."

Usagi giggled, but nodded in agreement.

~oOo~

"I've tried fasting, and eating nothing but pineapple, I've tried all sorts of things, but none of them last," one (somewhat tubby) girl, Hiroko, said sadly at lunch. Usagi wasn't the only one feeling frustrated with the scales lately it seemed.

"We know," Naru and Usagi agreed.

"Swimming is a great way to get thin," offered Ren – who was part of the swim team and was, indeed, much thinner. "Though, wouldn't the best diet be to lose weight because you're in love?"

"Hai," they all sighed.

"Have you ever been in love?" Hiroko asked.

Ren shook her head.

"It's okay, we can't help the way we're born," Hiroko comforted .

"I don't want to hear that from you," Ren said with a scowl.

"Speaking of diets though," Naru said thoughtfully, "Haruna-sensei seems to have lost a lot of weight very quickly."

Usagi and the others all nodded in agreement. It was hard to tell with Haruna-sensei's thick jacket and swishy, A-line skirt, but they all had the sharp eyes of girls who wanted to know how she did it.

"I can tell you what gym she went to," Umino offered, butting into their conversation with a smile.

"Tell us!"

Usagi knew she wouldn't be going to Shapely Gym with Naru and the others after school. She had an hour with Chiba-san and then shopping for new, more supportive under-things with her mother after that. Still, lately it seemed that things she heard about from Naru had some sort of strange impact on her life.

Naru told Usagi about Sailor V, and later that same day, Usagi was told she was Sailor Moon by a talking cat.

Naru told Usagi about a sale of jewellery at her mother's shop, and later that same day, Usagi was fighting her first monster there.

Naru told Usagi about the House of Fortune – and that she'd send Umino there – and Usagi was there later to fight another monster.

Naru told Usagi about Midnight Zero and the sleeping sickness. Usagi discovered the two were related, had to fight a third monster, and finally met the bad guy who was giving the monsters orders.

It was a disturbingly recurring theme, and now Usagi was hearing about a miracle gym that let a person lose a lot of weight _fast_. If Naru told her tomorrow that Shapely also had free introductory membership and that her scale told her she really _had_ lost a significant amount of weight over night, then Usagi had the nasty feeling she'd have to go around and fight another monster.

"Tell me about what the gym is like tomorrow," she requested of her friend. "I'm not getting out of tutoring with Chiba-san for anything, and Mama is going to take me shopping for a few things afterwards."

"You're so lucky Usagi-chan," Naru said with a dreamy sigh. "You have such a handsome tutor, and then shopping after!"

~oOo~

When Usagi saw the girls at school the next day, she groaned to herself. They were all definitely thinner, but... underneath that I'm-so-happy-I-lost-weight smile, they all looked really _really_ tired, and the girl who had been thin yesterday looked positively skeletal today.

That wasn't healthy. Ever.

Haruna-sensei wasn't looking too great either.

As she left the school gates at the end of the day, mentally, Usagi groaned. The bad guy was doing... whatever it was he was doing... faster, and taking advantage of women who wanted quick solutions to the faults that they saw in themselves to get what he wanted.

Usagi dared to sneak out of school during the lunch break to investigate the suspicious gym. She ran into Luna not five metres from the fence.

"Usagi, you have school right now," Luna scolded primly.

Usagi grinned. "Great," she said. "Then _you_ can investigate Shapely Gym while I go back!" she chirped happily, and turned on her toes.

"Eh!? Shapely Gym?" Luna yelped, surprised, and chased after the girl. "Why?"

"Because it shouldn't be possible to lose that much weight that fast," Usagi said plainly. "Well, see you later Luna," she added happily, and hopped back over the fence and into the school yard, satisfied that the bossy feline would do the leg-work.

~oOo~

"Not concerned with the must-be-thin craze that's going on right now?" Chiba asked with a smile when Usagi had requested her usual milkshake from Motoki and they were migrating to 'their' booth to study. "Still having your extra-large milkshake with two scoops of ice cream and extra chocolate syrup?"

Usagi pouted up at him. "I'm a growing girl," she countered. "I need the energy I get from food so that I can grow healthy and strong," she said, nose in the air. Then sigh sighed. "And hopefully _taller_ too," she added wistfully.

Chiba laughed softly. "I'm glad to hear you're not going on a diet," he said. "I think you're cute just the way you are."

Usagi blushed at the compliment. "A-arigato," she stammered.

"Nya!"

"Luna!" Usagi whined. "I have homework to do, and this is designated homework time. I haven't even had my milkshake yet, you can't pull me away _now_!" she begged.

Luna hissed and unsheathed her claws in Usagi's face very pointedly.

"I don't have any afternoon classes today," Chiba offered. "I'll wait until you've satisfied your cat if you like, Tsukino-chan."

"Really! Ah, thank you Chiba-san!" Usagi said, nearly crying in gratitude. "I promise, I'll be as fast as I can!"

"You can leave your bag here too," Chiba suggested when Usagi reached for it. "You're coming back, after all."

Usagi smiled and nodded happily. "Un!" she agreed, only for Luna to hiss again and remind Usagi of her claws – though she didn't scratch the girl. "I'd better go," she apologised, and hurried out.

"You were right about Shapely," Luna said once they were out of the arcade and running. "And Haruna-sensei was looking terrible when I spotted her going in. She may not _live _much longer."

"Okay, genuine emergency," Usagi agreed, and followed Luna down an alley that would be a shortcut to the popular new gym. While they ran, Usagi transformed, and then slipped in through a back window, from which point she followed Luna down into the lower levels of the gym.

"This is the place," Luna said softly, pointing a paw at a large, spooky room full of glowing pods and eerie blue light. "The victims get in those pods, have their energy sucked out of them, and when they come out, they're thinner."

Usagi went down into the room, reached for her tiara as quietly as she could, sighted the large glowing orb above the pods, and let loose. It shattered and the glowing lights all flickered out.

"Anything else while I'm here?" Usagi asked.

"The coaches here aren't monsters, but rather humans being controlled through the head bands they're wearing," Luna said. "I'll wait for you outside."

"I guess I'll break the controlling rings then," Usagi mused as she was left alone.

"They'll break _you_ first, Sailor Moon," said a sneering voice from the top of the stairs.

Usagi whipped around to see Jadeite in a purple track-suit and lilac shades scowling down at her, three large body builders standing with him.

"Kill her," he ordered them.

The three large, muscular men charged.

Usagi threw her tiara again, and it bounced from one headband to the next like a pinball in a machine before it flew at Jadeite himself.

Still scowling, he disappeared before it hit him.

"He got away again," Usagi grumbled unhappily, but retrieved her tiara and slipped out of the gym again quietly. "Mission successful," she declared happily as she let the transformation go. "Ehe, I didn't even need to be saved by Tuxedo Kamen this time. I'm getting better!" she said and returned to where Luna was waiting for her. "Now, I'm off to go back to Chiba-san and my milkshake. See you later Luna!" she called, and dashed off.

Left behind, Luna sighed. "Yes, well done, Sailor Moon," she said quietly. "Well done."

~oOo~

Usagi got to enjoy a fairly normal week while Haruna-sensei recovered from almost killing herself trying to be 'beautiful', and things were generally quiet for another week after that. There were occasional nightmares about monsters that resolved either with Tuxedo Kamen killing the monsters with a rose and comforting her, or Chiba-san pulling her around a corner out of the way while the monsters charged on, then smilingly teasing her about how she really was smart and strong enough to take on the monsters herself.

One of the former dreams was interrupted by her brother screaming loudly one morning, and – a little frustrated that the dream had been interrupted, but also a little concerned for her brother – she got out of bed to see what he was screaming about.

It turned out that Luna was the cause for his screaming.

"Get out!" he yelled, and threw his pillow. His aim sucked. It hit Usagi in the face when she'd opened his door rather than Luna, who had leapt off his bed and was between Usagi's feet by that point. "Get that cat out of my room!" Shingo begged as he curled into a tight ball, shivering, at the head of his bed – which happened to be the end furthest from Luna.

"Oh Shingo, I forgot you hate cats," Usagi said. "Really though, Luna's very sweet. You don't have to be scared of her or anything."

"I don't care! Just get it out of my room!" Shingo begged again, his eyes tight shut.

Usagi quietly gestured for Luna to go, and with a nod, Luna went. "There, she's gone now," Usagi said softly.

Shingo peeled an eye open warily, in case it was a trick, but relaxed when he saw that the cat was indeed nowhere to be seen.

"Shingo, please give Luna a chance," Usagi requested, and quickly continued when her brother shook his head desperately. "She's been sleeping in my room for a while now, and this is the first time she's been in your room, right?" Usagi asked.

Shingo nodded grudgingly.

"It was probably just a mistake on her part, coming in late at night and getting the wrong room. If I promise that she will stay out of your room, would you be alright with me asking Mama and Papa if we can make Luna the family pet?" Usagi asked.

Shingo pouted. "Mou... I guess," he allowed. "But I still -"

"Hate cats," Usagi finished. "I know. But really Shingo, I think you'll like Luna if you give her a chance. That's all I'm asking for. You don't have to like _all_ cats, just give _Luna_ a chance. She's not going to bite you like that one did when you were a baby, and she won't scratch you either."

Shingo nodded. "Alright," he allowed. "I'll give _this_ cat a chance. But it better stay out of my room, and it isn't allowed to jump on me!"  
"Breakfast!" Ikuko called up the stairs.

~oOo~

Usagi happily relayed her conversation with Shingo as she and Luna walked to Usagi's school – her parents had agreed to keeping Luna as the family pet at breakfast, and so Luna was now officially a house cat. Usagi had been given extra money to buy Luna a collar and some kitty kibble on her way home after tutoring with Chiba-san.

"No surprising him, and stay out of his room," Luna summarised with a nod. "I can do that, but, Usagi-chan, do I really have to get a collar?" Luna asked.

Usagi giggled. "You can pick which one you like at the pet shop this afternoon," Usagi answered, "but yes, you need a collar, or else people will think you're just a stray."

Luna sighed. "You know, I don't _have_ to be a house pet," she said. "I _was_ effectively a stray until we met."

Usagi smirked. "And how much more comfortable is it for you to sleep in my room than it was for you to sleep in the alleyways?" she asked.

Luna's ears drooped at the reminder and she pouted. "Alright, you win," she allowed. "But I get to pick my collar."

Usagi nodded. "I'll see you later Luna."

~oOo~

"Oh? So Luna is only just _today_ becoming the official family pet?" Chiba asked with a surprised, amused smile on his face. "She's been with you a long time, and your family only found out about her now?"

Usagi nodded and stroked Luna's head – the cat had jumped straight down into her arms as she'd left school that day, and Usagi had explained to Chiba about the morning fuss when he'd noted that Luna had shown up earlier than she had before.

"She mostly stays in my room or wanders around town, and I feed her, but last night she went into Shingo's room, and he's scared of cats, so he made a big fuss. We talked a bit, and now Luna is the family cat. Shingo isn't thrilled, but he's willing to give her a chance," Usagi said.

"That's very grown up of him," Chiba said with an approving nod.

Usagi nodded as well. "Hai," she agreed. "He's a brat, but he does have his moments. And Mama gave me some money to buy a few things for Luna today, collar, a dish just for her, cat food and such."

"Oh, does that mean you're going to leave me on my own and not come to the park and do your homework today?" Chiba asked.

"The park?" Usagi repeated, surprised.

Chiba nodded. "It's a nice day, I thought using one of the tables at the park and buying ice cream from a cart there would be a nice change," he explained.

Usagi grinned. "That _does_ sound nice!" she agreed. "I was going to do the shopping for Luna after tutoring. There's a new pet shop that's just opened up -" Naru had told her about it, so Usagi had some concerns, and going with Luna would mean she could get a second opinion at the same time as doing her shopping "- and I thought I'd look for the things she needed there."

"Pet Shop Perfume, right?" Chiba asked, a frown crossing his face.

"Hai," Usagi agreed.

"Want me to come too?" he offered.

Usagi blinked. "A grown man _offering_ to go shopping with a teen-aged girl?" she teased slightly, then giggled. "Arigato, I'd like that very much."

~oOo~

"Welcome," greeted the floor manager of the shop. "Please take your time," she added with a gesture to the display cases full of fluffy little things that were apparently called 'chanela'.

"Ah, I'm just looking for a collar, and some pet food," Usagi said with a shake of her head.

The woman blinked in surprise. "I'm sorry," she said, "but Pet Shop Perfume only sells chanela, which don't require food at all. Please do look around though, perhaps you would like to buy a chanela to take home?"

Usagi pulled a sceptical face, but nodded slightly, and the woman left them.

"Tsukino-chan?" Chiba asked curiously.

"My friend Naru-chan told me about this shop," Usagi said softly. "Lately, the things she's told me about have all had something suspicious going on with them that have ultimately led to terrible things happening. Midnight Zero and their flower brooches that put people to sleep, Shapely Gym and people becoming so thin they were on the verge of death... I thought that, maybe this time, I'd find out if something suspicious was going on here _before_ anything terrible started to really happen," she explained.

Chiba blinked a couple of times, then lay a large hand on top of Usagi's head between her buns. "If you want, I'll help you," he offered.

Usagi smiled shyly. "Arigato," she answered.

"Nya?!" Luna yelped softly from Usagi's arms. That could be explained away by Usagi maybe hugging the cat a little too tight at that moment, but Usagi knew that it was really Luna asking what the girl thought she was doing, letting someone in on what was going on.

"I could really use all the help I can get," the blonde added softly.

Luna's ears dropped and her bright brown eyes seemed to apologise to the girl who was holding her, then she hopped down from Usagi's arms and went to do her own sniffing around.

"Is it alright for her to -?" Chiba asked.

Usagi nodded. "Luna's very smart and independent. Just because she's the family cat _now_ doesn't mean she's suddenly going to start acting like a house cat," she answered.

Chiba smiled, offered his arm to Usagi, and together they walked around the pet shop, looking at the people more than the pets, and what they saw was disturbing.

The chanela were cute, but kind of creepy as well, and while the people in the shop all crowded around to look at them, there were clear instances when a person would look into a cage and make eye-contact with the chanela inside... and then go all droopy-eyed and stupid-looking over the perfumed little fluff-balls.

"There _is_ something suspicious going on here," Chiba noted with a quiet, horrified awe. "But... it makes no sense! Why, and for that matter, _how_ is this happening?"

"I'm going to ascribe it to either magic or aliens, or possibly alien magic," Usagi answered in a quiet grumble with an unhappy shake of her head. "Let's just get out of here before we get caught as well."

Chiba nodded in quick agreement, and was glad to see that Luna chose that moment to return to them as well. "There's a pet shop near where I live," he said as they exited the shop. "And I know they carry pet food, collars and toys, because one of my neighbours has a bag from there every other week with a bag of pet food in it. How about we go there for Luna's things?" he offered.

Usagi nodded. "Yeah, that sounds good," she agreed, even though she knew, just _knew_ she'd be going back to Pet Shop Perfume later that night as Sailor Moon.

She hoped that whatever monster was in charge of the pet shop, they weren't too scary. She couldn't help but wonder if she'd be able to beat _this_ one without help from Tuxedo Kamen, like she'd defeated the Shapely Gym plot... then again, there hadn't actually been a monster involved with that one. Just Jadeite, who hadn't seemed all that interested in fighting her himself after that first time on the roof of the radio station.

A delicate blue-black collar – the same colour as Luna's fur – was chosen, and a simple round tag was engraved with Luna's name and the Tsukino home information in the event she ever got 'lost' and someone 'found' her. Luna also picked out a kibble she liked the smell of, and a dish that had space for food on one side, and water or milk on the other.

Chiba walked Usagi home, and after dinner the pair (meaning Usagi and Luna) returned to Pet Shop Perfume where Usagi proceeded to win against the apparently reptilian monster at the pet shop on her own. She was pleased about that, even if she would have _liked_ to have seen Tuxedo Kamen. Just to see him again, more than relying on him to save her.

~oOo~

Usagi hoped that, this time, something that Naru told her about _wouldn't_ be some sort of plot by the bad guys she was being forced to fight. Some music _should_ be safe though, right? Right?!

It was very nice. A sort of cross between classical music and jazz, and slow, sweet. The picture on the front of the CD case was the bottom half of a person standing in the rain with a bouquet of roses in one hand – and the music suited that image.

Despite the loneliness to it, the lovesick, aching heart that could just about be heard through the notes of the piano, it was very relaxing to listen to. Even Luna seemed to like it, curled up as she was, listening to it with the two girls.

Naru had to ruin the atmosphere though by saying she'd like to date the mature older man who had written the music on the disc.

"I'll leave that to you," Usagi said with a weak smile, and made a mental note of the artist, Amade Yusuke, so that she could buy a copy of the CD on the way home for herself.

Usagi should have known better than to relax about anything she learned about from Naru though.

On her way home from Naru's, a man quite literally ran into her. Knocked her down and begged for his life before he even looked at her.

"I'm not going to kill you," Usagi informed the man. "Why would you think such a thing?" she asked as she offered a hand to help him up. Okay, yes, she'd been initially upset about her new outfit being soaked when she was knocked down (it was raining and she'd landed in a puddle on top of that), but she wasn't going to kill a man over an outfit that was just _wet_. It would dry and be fine soon enough.

"You'll probably think I'm crazy," the man said with a shake of his head.

"Well, I'll walk with you where you need to go, since I have an umbrella and you don't, and you can tell me," Usagi suggested. "Oh, I'm Tsukino Usagi, by the way."

"Amade Yusuke," the man answered.

Usagi, once she got over the shock of having met a musician she'd just been listening to on her best friend's CD player earlier, noticed that her stomach was twisting in knots for a _very_ different reason than Naru's would have been in this situation.

When Amade explained about being targeted by a monster, Usagi's bad feeling was confirmed – Naru had, once again, told her about something that the bad guys had a hand in, though she didn't know it yet. In fact, it was possible that the bad guys hadn't even completely gotten into it yet, since Amade had been running from a monster and Luna hadn't said anything about the music Naru had shared with them earlier.

He said goodbye not long after, but Usagi wasn't about to let him out of her sight when he was being targeted by a monster. A little help from the Luna Pen and she and Luna were in the club where he was performing. Once he was off the stage, she slipped out after him and dropped the disguise.

After that it was a helter-skelter, hair-um-scare-um race to get back a tape, then save Akiko (the woman Amade was in love with), destroy the tape (which wasn't Amade's tape for Akiko after all), and then Usagi and Luna were off after the monster while Amade and Akiko concerned themselves with each other.

She beat it (all on her own!) and got back in time to be greeted with the good news that Amade had proposed and Akiko and said yes. They were going to get married!

~oOo~

"Eh? You're going to be a bride's maid at the wedding of a musician?" Chiba asked, surprised, impressed, and confused when Usagi told him about it the next day.

Usagi nodded, a bright smile on her face. "Hai! And Amade-san and Akiko-san said I was allowed to bring _one_ person, so that I'd have someone to talk to, since most of the other guests would be people they worked with, where I'm just the girl who helped save their lives and encouraged them to admit their feelings to each other," she answered. "And Luna got invited as well, since she helped!"

Chiba blinked. "That sounds like quite a story," he said.

"It is," Usagi agreed with a giggle.

"You're not going to tell me, are you?" Chiba asked, a little annoyed, but mostly amused at the blonde young teen. "Alright, so who are you going to ask to be your plus one at this wedding?"

"I asked Mama already," Usagi answered. "If I asked you or Motoki-onii-san, Papa would be upset and lecture me about being to young to go on dates, especially with college students. I couldn't invite Naru-chan to the wedding of a musician she has a bit of a crush on, and there's no way I'd take Shingo or Papa."

Chiba nodded in understanding. The logic was sound.

"And Amade-san said he was going to write a song inspired by how I'd helped them for his next CD, and send me a signed copy when it was finished!" Usagi added happily.

Chiba laughed. "You're very lucky," he said. "Now, are you done being excited about your news? You have homework."

Usagi sighed. "Hai, I'm done," she agreed. "Slave driver," she added teasingly.

"Odango Atama," Chiba countered with a grin of his own.

Usagi stuck her tongue out at him playfully, but pulled out her books all the same.


	4. Chapter 4

"Ta-da!" Umino announced before class. "Look! I finally got a poster of Mikan-chan!"

"Did you steal it from the pharmacy?" Usagi asked. She'd passed a pharmacy on the way to school that day that had the exact same poster in the window.

"Iie, I bought it online," Umino answered with a smile. "If you want one, I have several left over. I'll sell one to you at a reasonable price," he offered.

"No thank you Umino," Usagi said with a shake of her head.

"I don't want one," Naru added, though her tone of voice and the expression on her face disagreed with the words she said.

"As you know, Shiratori Mikan is from our Juban Municipal Junior High," Umino said, settling into the chair in front of Usagi's desk and tapping on his beige laptop, the thing was new, expensive, and heavy. Usagi didn't know why he brought it to school. Probably a bid to try and impress the girls in their class who saw him with it. "She's seventeen years old and already in eight commercials. She makes two-million yen a month."

"That's a lot of money," Usagi said, eyes wide, impressed with the sum.

"Wasn't she scouted while walking in town?" Yumiko asked, joining the conversation.

"She was lucky," Kuri said.

"Yeah, if I were lucky like her, I'd do the same thing," Naru agreed eagerly.

"Piece of cake!" Kuri said with a snap of her fingers

"I can't believe the scouts never spotted us!" complained Yumiko. "They just don't know a good thing when they see it!"

"To put it bluntly, the scouts do know when they see a good thing," Umino said. "That's why you girls were ignored."

"What did you say?!" Yumiko growled, Kuri and Naru right there with her, all looking thoroughly displeased with the socially-inept, nerdy boy.

"The next star to come from Juban Municipal Junior High, who will follow in Mikan-chan's footsteps, will be," Umino said, and paused dramatically, then rounded on Usagi, his arm extended as he pointed at her. "Usagi-chan!" he declared softly, bashfully, and with a blush on his face beneath his thick glasses.

Naru, Yumiko and Kuri all gave Umino flat, unimpressed looks, and knew then and there that it was his crush on the blonde girl speaking.

Usagi shook her head. "Iie," she disagreed. "Even if I got scouted -" and some of the people at Amade and Akiko's wedding _had_ been interested in the cute blonde girl who was bride's maid, all dressed up in a pretty peach-coloured dress, and even given her their business cards "- I don't have time for that sort of thing right now."

"I'm surprised at you Usagi-chan," Naru said, her eyes wide. "Wouldn't you want to be famous?"

Usagi sighed. "Sure I'd _like_ to be," she agreed. "But being famous would take up lots of time, and I have enough to worry about with just school and meeting my tutor afterwards every day."

"Tutor?!" Umino yelped. "I didn't know you had a tutor Usagi-chan."

"It's how I'm getting perfect scores on my homework and tests now," she answered. "Chiba-san is very helpful."

Naru giggled. "And very handsome!" she added. "If being famous took me away from a handsome tutor, I might be a bit more reluctant too," she agreed.

Haruna-sensei arrived then, and called the class to their seats.

~oOo~

"Did you hear about the Cinderella Caravan?" Yumiko asked the next morning.

"Eh? No, I didn't," Usagi answered.

"Oh, you're so behind Usagi-chan," Naru teased fondly. "They're looking for the next Shiratori Mikan through the Caravan. Since even Mikan-chan herself is assisting in the search, it's a pretty fast way to stardom!"

Usagi shook her head. "Like I said yesterday, I don't have time," she said. "I'll go along after my tutoring session and support all of you though," she offered.

"Yay!" the three other girls all cheered.

Usagi was surprised when Chiba brought up the Cinderella Caravan that afternoon though, and asked if she was going to join in the competition.

"You've already got a foot in the door from meeting all sorts of people at Amade-san's wedding, don't you? This would be good experience," he suggested, and smiled. "I'll bet you could do a great comedy act."

Usagi smirked. "Yeah, opposite you," she counter-teased, and shook her head. "Iie, Chiba-san. If I wanted to be famous at fourteen, I would have taken up some of the offers from the people at Amade-san's wedding, like you mentioned. I want to have as much of a normal teen-aged life as I can. I'll get to thinking about careers in a couple of years. I'll go and watch my friends who are going to be entering though."

Chiba smiled and patted her on the head between her pigtails, then gestured for her to precede him into the arcade. Before they parted, they agreed to meet at the Shan Shan Plaza where the 'big concert' for the people who passed the initial stage of the competition was supposed to happen the following Sunday.

~oOo~

Despite waking up with the feeling that this was going to be an at least half bad day, Usagi arrived at the Plaza early – with Luna – and headed straight inside when she saw there wasn't any kind of line for tickets, or even a line for people with tickets. It made no sense. Surely the families of the people who were performing would want to see them on stage at least? It had been a somewhat disturbing week leading up to the concert as well. School work took an entirely back-seat to all of her classmates (as well as the senior students and a fair number of the teachers) as they prepared for their performances and a life of fame.

Seeing this behaviour was the reason Luna was coming along as well. There wasn't any evil aura or anything, but it was a deeply suspicious matter. Talent quests were a fairly normal thing, but _this_ sort of reaction was _not_, and therefore warranted investigation.

Not even a whole minute into the 'show', Usagi was running scared, intent on hiding in the bathroom. That had _definitely_ been a monster in the front row. A blue head that twisted completely around like that? Yeah, not human!  
"Usagi!" Luna called through the stall door that Usagi had locked behind her in her effort to hide from the monster. "You need to transform into Sailor Moon! That monster is hurting your friends with what it is doing!"

Usagi took a deep breath. "Yeah," she agreed. "And before Chiba-san gets here and finds himself in the line of fire as well," she added, and transformed. Really, it wasn't that this particular monster was more terrifying than the others that had come before (they were all _equally_ terrifying), but it had taken her by surprise.

Turning and revealing itself to be a monster when she'd expected the celebrity Mikan.

~oOo~

The first thing to do was stop whatever the monster was doing and distract it. That, unfortunately, meant making a target of herself, and there weren't a lot of places to hide from attacks while also keeping an eye on the enemy, looking for a chance to take the monster out.

It was terrifying, when the monster actually _got_ her, and Usagi didn't know what it was but it looked like ice as it crawled up her body and prevented her from moving... and then covered her mouth and nose and stopped her breathing.

That, Usagi decided, counted as the reason for the feeling that it would be a bad day today.

She (literally) breathed a deep sigh of relief when a rose pierced the faux-ice at her hand, sending cracks throughout the rest until it all fell away and she could move and breathe again. She lost her balance and fell down, but the monster was distracted, searching for the one who had freed Usagi, so she had the time to right herself.

"Sailor Moon, you're the star of the show," Tuxedo Kamen said from where he stood on the railing of the balcony seats. "Good luck!" he called, and swept his cape around himself as he jumped down out of sight, disappearing again.

"How dare you interfere!" the monster said. "Come back here!" it ordered, and moved to chase after Usagi's hero. "Stop!"

Usagi, who had gotten to her feet again while Tuxedo Kamen was speaking, pulled off her tiara and sent it flying into the monster's back. The monster, and the disco ball, both shattered. Usagi quickly released the transformation and collected the latest rose from Tuxedo Kamen, and went to see if Chiba had arrived out front yet.

"Ah, Tsukino-chan, there you are," Chiba called with a grin as she came out of the building. "Sorry I'm late. I had another one of those black-outs I told you about."

"Are you alright?" Usagi asked, concerned.

"Hai," he answered. "Oh, a rose? Did you steal the show?" he teased. "I didn't think I was so late that I'd miss the whole thing."

"It turned out that the person running the show wasn't actually Mikan-chan, but an imposter, and the whole thing was a fake," Usagi answered, and hoped silently that she could get away with not answering about the rose as she carefully tucked it into her hair for safe-keeping until she could get it home, where it would be dried like the previous two and set in the vase with them.

Chiba sighed. "Alright, well, we've got time, so how about for the rest of the afternoon we pretend that _I_ gave you that rose, and I'll take you to a café and treat you to afternoon tea?" he suggested.

Usagi smiled. "I really like that idea," she answered, and stood up on her tippy-toes to give Chiba a peck on the cheek. "Thank you for the rose, Chiba-san," she said softly.

He blushed. "Did you do that for the person who really gave you the rose?" he asked.

Usagi cocked her head slightly as she considered Chiba's face. "You know, I think I just did," she answered softly. "And if you don't remember what happened to you in the last ten minutes, who are you to dispute that?"

Chiba relaxed a little and smiled. "Alright," he agreed. "But next time you see the person who gave you that rose, why don't _you_ give _them_ something? Then, if it's me, we'll _both_ know."

Usagi giggled. "I'll try that," she agreed. "But the mysterious masked man who gives me roses always leaves so quickly."

~oOo~

"Usagi, how did you go in the mock exam?" Ikuko asked, interrupting her daughter as she laughed at a gag in her comic.

"Results come out tomorrow," Usagi answered, wiping away the tears that had come from laughing so hard and breathing deeply. "But you know Mama, there's a genius girl who recently transferred in, so even with Chiba-san being an awesome tutor, it's unlikely that I'd have the top spot."

Ikuko nodded. "As long as it isn't a failing grade," she said.

Usagi waved her hand dismissively. "I may not have _the_ top spot because of a genius in my year group, and the mock exam was harder than any of the tests we've had so far, but I'm fairly confident of having gotten a good score. Chiba-san's tutoring might not have me beating a genius for the top spot, but he helps me get pretty close!" she finished with a fist-pump and a cheer.

Ikuko smiled. "Well, I'm glad to hear _that_," she said happily.

"I just wish you'd put as much effort into finding the Moon Princess," Luna commented when Usagi had retreated to her room to read her comic there – where her laughter wouldn't disturb Ikuko doing the housework.

"Luna, you can hardly tell me anything about the enemy or their motives, can't describe the Moon Princess to me in any way that is meaningful for searching, and I say again – I'm fourteen! We are _both_ lucky that I haven't been _killed_ fighting these monsters, and I owe Tuxedo Kamen a big fat thank-you for saving my life _three times_ now!" Usagi countered. Then she blinked. "I should write him a thank-you letter," she said thoughtfully, and hopped up from her bed to suit actions to words.

It ended up being a hand-made card with a picture of a crescent moon and a red rose on the front, and a simple 'thank you for saving my life' written inside. She kept out names, just in case, and then just had to figure out how she was going to give it to her hero when she saw him next.

Tuxedo Kamen hardly ever came close enough for her to hand him anything after all, and more often than not he disappeared again as quickly as he had come.

Hardly a window of opportunity.

~oOo~

"As expected, Mizuno Ami is best in the class," Naru commented when they had all checked their scores on the mock exam.

"Not only that, but she's the best in the country too!" added Hiroko.

"The best in the _country_?!" Naru and Usagi both yelped.

"According to rumours," Umino said, ducking into their conversation quite literally by slipping in under Naru's arm when she'd been using it to prop herself away from the wall. Naru jerked back away from the wall – and Umino – completely. "Her IQ is supposedly three-hundred."

"Wow, so she would _really_ be a genius," Usagi said.

Umino nodded.

"By the way," Naru said with a frown directed entirely at Umino, "don't pop up suddenly from weird places!" she instructed, and emphasised the final word with a strike to Umino's head. Trying to beat the lesson into him.

"Ah, there's Mizuno-san now," Usagi noted, seeing the girl over Umino's bent form.

The other three all turned to look, and indeed there she was, looking out the window and not a happy expression on her face to be seen, even though she'd taken the top spot.

"I heard she attends Crystal Cram School," Umino said, "and goes every day!"

"That's the new place that's just been built, isn't it?" Usagi asked, and a bad feeling settled in her stomach. Her mother had told her about the new cram school, and that it was very expensive, before chirping happily that they were so _lucky_ Usagi had found Chiba-san and somehow convinced him to tutor her. "Mama said it was very expensive," she added thoughtfully.

"I heard that Mizuno-san's mother is a doctor," Naru stated.

"They're probably rich," Hiroko said, with her nose in the air.

"However, she's attending on a scholarship, so for her it's free!" Umino contributed.

"But she's got a bad attitude," Hiroko said with a slightly disparaging gesture. "It's like she thinks she's better than everybody else," she added darkly.

"Oh, I can't stand people like that," Naru said with a superior nod.

"If she's got an IQ of three-hundred, then she _is_ better," Usagi pointed out, "and maybe she's lonely. If she goes from here to cram school every day, what does she do for fun?" she asked speculatively, and looked over to where Mizuno was still looking out the window, not looking at all happy despite having gotten the number one ranking on the mock exam.

~oOo~

Chiba was escorting Usagi to the arcade when Usagi halted mid-stride and stared. Luna was stalking along the top of a fence, but rather than a bird, it appeared as if her cat was stalking Mizuno.

Then she pounced.

"Luna isn't a normal cat, is she?" Chiba asked softly.

Usagi sighed and shook her head, though her blue eyes never left the interaction between Mizuno and Luna.

"You're so soft," Usagi heard Mizuno compliment. "If only we didn't live in a high-rise apartment, I could get a nice cat like you," she continued as she petted and stroked Luna.

Usagi smiled. "Yeah, I thought she was probably lonely," she commented to herself. "Luna!" she called.

Luna's head immediately snapped up and around. Luna hopped down from Mizuno's shoulders and scampered across to Usagi a moment later, and Usagi was there to scoop the cat up in her arms.

"Gomen, are you okay?" Usagi asked when Mizuno turned around to look at her.

"Is that your cat?" Mizuno asked.

"Un," Usagi answered with a nod.

"Since she was from the sky, I thought she was an angel," Mizuno admitted softly.

"Luna, an angel?" Usagi repeated, surprised. "You hear that? Somehow you made a good impression when you jumped on somebody," Usagi said, and tickled Luna's ears – just the way Luna liked it. "You're Mizuno Ami from class five, right? I'm Tsukino Usagi from class one. Pleased to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too," Mizuno said.

"This is Luna, who you've already met," Usagi continued.

"For the moon, right?" Mizuno asked.

Usagi beamed. "Yup! You're the first person to have actually gotten that," she praised, "or at least said so," she added when Chiba grunted in that put-out way he had. "And this is Chiba-san."

"Chiba Mamoru," he supplied with a nod. "I'm Tsukino-chan's tutor."

Mizuno bowed politely. "Pleased to meet you."

"Usagi, I sense a strange energy about this girl. She could be a monster sent by the enemy, so be careful," Luna whispered.

"Would you like to join us for a milkshake or something, Mizuno-san?" Usagi offered, ignoring Luna's warning to check with Chiba that it was okay for her to extend the invitation.

After all, why would an enemy monster hang around in a high school for three weeks and do nothing more than get top scores at everything? Mizuno didn't have any sort of social circle at all, so she wasn't bringing people in for whatever, and she basically did nothing but study. To Usagi, that seemed more like setting herself up to be made a victim of, than the other option.

Besides, she could sense the strange energy about Mizuno too, now that she was actually talking to the other girl, and she could tell that it was distinctly different from a monster. Something about that energy of Mizuno's made Usagi think of water for some reason though.

Chiba nodded. "Sure," he agreed. "We're just going to be going over the few questions in the mock exam that Tsukino-chan got wrong today. A little more company isn't going to hurt anything."

Usagi had already explained that there hadn't been any homework assigned that day except to go over the mock exam and understand where they'd gone wrong – if they had – and Usagi hadn't gone wrong very often at all. She'd gotten the tenth ranking, which she was pretty proud of.

Mizuno hesitated a moment, then finally nodded. "Alright," she agreed with a hesitant, shy smile.

~oOo~

"Crystal Cram School?" Chiba asked as they settled down in a different booth to the usual one at the arcade. "I've heard of that one because it's new. They use some sort of special disc, don't they?"

Mizuno nodded a little unhappily. "It's a floppy," she answered. "And using it always gives me a headache."

"If it gives you a headache, then you probably shouldn't use it," Chiba stated plainly.

"Can I see it?" Usagi asked curiously.

Mizuno chuckled. "Just looking at a disc won't tell you much," she pointed out, but reached into her bag and pulled out a red floppy disc all the same. "As soon as I finish this milkshake though, I'm going to have to hurry. I have cram school every day, and I don't want to be late."

"Every day?" Usagi yelped in surprise. Naru attended a cram school, Usagi knew, and she did _not_ go every day.

"My only talent is studying," Mizuno answered with a smile, as though that statement didn't bother her at all.

Usagi frowned as she looked over the red floppy disc that Mizuno had pulled out of her bag. "How do you know?" she asked. "If studying is the only thing you do, how do you know you're not good at anything else?"

"I suppose," Mizuno agreed.

"Now me? I'm good at telling when something is suspicious," Usagi said with a grin. "And knowing from the moment I wake up if my day is going to be a bad one. I'm also getting pretty good at self defence," she added, then giggled. "Who knows, maybe you have a talent at arcade games that never gets to see the light of day because you're always studying!" Usagi suggested.

Mizuno blinked in surprise. "So... I should try other things..." she said softly, and a thoughtful look entered her eyes as they swept across to the rows of games across from the café. "Ah, but not today, I have to get going!" she exclaimed as she noticed the time.

She was up and out of her seat, and then out of the building, before Usagi even had the chance to give her back the red floppy disk she would need for her cram school.

"What are you thinking, Tsukino-chan?" Chiba asked.

"I'm thinking... that I have a bad feeling about this thing," Usagi answered, and waved the floppy slightly for emphasis. "And I'm thinking it's a good thing that Mizuno-san forgot it with me. I'm going to find a computer and see what's on it."

"Eh?!" Chiba exclaimed, surprised. "Wha-? Wait, Tsukino-chan! That's an invasion of privacy!"

Luna chose that moment to clamp her teeth on the floppy disc and run off with it.

Usagi and Chiba both chased after her. When they eventually caught up, Luna was pushing the floppy into the appropriate space of one of the computers in the computer lab at Usagi's school.

"The cat can type," Chiba noted softly.

"She can talk too," Usagi whispered back out of the corner of her mouth.

A high-pitched ringing came from the computer as the disc's programme started up. Usagi and Chiba both quickly clamped their hands over their ears to block out the piercing tone. Still, it was possible to hear the automated voice that came next perfectly clearly.

"Offer the energy of your brain and knowledge to our great ruler," it said, "and become a loyal follower."

"It's a brain washing programme! Mizuno-san _is_ a monster!" Luna said angrily, and turned to Usagi – only to freeze when she realised that Chiba was there too.

"No, Mizuno-san is a _victim_," Usagi corrected. "The monster is the one giving out these discs."

"Tsukino-chan, your cat talks, and can operate a computer," Chiba said, still a little stuck on that.

Usagi smiled. "Ne, Chiba-san, you haven't had enough coffee today," she said kindly. "I'll see you at the arcade later, okay?"

"Yeah," he agreed. "Yeah, coffee, see you at the arcade Tsukino-dango-chan," he said, and with a wave, left the girl and the cat alone.

"You are _very_ lucky," Usagi informed Luna.

Luna ducked her head, embarrassed.

"Well, time to go and stop some monster from taking advantage of cram school students," Usagi said with a sigh, and transformed into Sailor Moon. She'd go across rooftops to Crystal Cram School, since she knew where it was, and it wasn't far.

~oOo~

When she got to the room filled with computers and hypnotised students, Usagi sent her tiara out over them all – moon tiara stardust, rather than action. It 'cured' them of their hypnotism and put them to sleep... which just left Mizuno (who hadn't been hypnotised due to lack of disc) and the monster who had been handing the discs out.

"I am the monster of knowledge, Garoben!" she announced as her human appearance melted away into her more genuine, and genuinely monstrous, form.

Usagi repressed a wince at the pun. A gariben was a person who studied too much, and this monster called herself Garoben? Ooh, not cool. For a brief moment, Usagi wondered if the other monsters had also had such pun-like names. This was the first one to actually introduce itself, after all.

"This genius girl is going to sacrifice her brain energy to our great ruler!" the monster continued, and grabbed Mizuno forcefully, then pushed her face against the computer screen. "Why isn't it working?" she demanded a moment later, and pulled Mizuno up to get a better look at her face.

An action that revealed a glowing symbol on the girl's forehead that Luna recognised.

"Mercury!" the cat exclaimed, wide-eyed. "That's why her energy signature was noticed!"

"One of the 'others'?" Usagi asked, even as she got her tiara ready again to throw at the monster.

"Hai," Luna agreed.

"Well, we can't let her get hurt then," Usagi noted.

"If I can't take your brain energy, then I'll just take your brain!" the monster said, and pushed Mizuno to the floor. It raised one hand, and it reformed into a very sharp-looking axe.

"Moon tiara action!" Usagi said quickly, and took off the monster's head. "Now," Usagi said, and turned to Luna. "You owe Mizuno-san an apology for believing she was a monster, and _you_ can explain the situation to her while I do damage control with Chiba-san. Okay?"

Luna nodded.

"Tell her I'll see her tomorrow, or bring her to the arcade when you've finished explaining, okay?" Usagi instructed.

Luna nodded again. "Hai," she agreed.

~oOo~

"Usagi-chan!" Motoki called when he spotted her enter the arcade. "Get over here and talk to Mamoru! There's something wrong with him. He just keeps drinking mug after mug of coffee and he won't say anything to me that isn't requesting a refill!"

Usagi shook her head, but moved over to the milk bar and sat on the stool beside Chiba.

"Tsukino-chan, please tell me that your cat _can't_ talk, or operate a computer," he requested softly – softly enough that Usagi was the only one who heard him. "Please tell me that I _didn't_ hear a computer programme trying to brainwash people into giving some nameless leader their _brain energy_."

Usagi giggled. "That sounds like a very strange dream, Chiba-san," she agreed, just as softly. "Probably brought about by drinking too much coffee and only socialising with Motoki-onii-san and a fourteen-year-old."  
"But I only _like_ socialising with Motoki and you," Chiba grumbled. "And I need my coffee," he defended, and pulled his mug closer to his chest.

"Addict," Usagi teased. "You forgot to pick me up from the school gate today," she said at a volume that Motoki would be able to hear. "I was worried you had had one of those black-outs you told me happened to you sometimes, and what do I find? You here drinking coffee like it's going out of style," Usagi pouted.

Motoki looked at Usagi with an expression of confusion, but she quickly waved for him to keep his peace when he looked about to open his mouth and say they'd come in and left together today once already.

Chiba sighed in relief. "Right, a hallucination, a crazy dream while I had a black-out. That hasn't ever happened before, but I can't think of a better explanation for what happened. Arigato, Tsukino-chan," he said, and finally turned to her, a smile on his face. "How did your mock exam go?"

"I placed tenth!" Usagi said proudly.

"Congratulations," Chiba said with a proud smile of his own. "I think that deserves a chocolate milkshake to celebrate."

"Yay!"

"Usagi-chan?" Motoki asked quietly when he brought the milkshake over.

"Chiba-san just saw something earlier that his brain couldn't handle, to do with Mizuno-san – that other girl we brought with us to the arcade today," Usagi answered in a whisper. "By denying that it happened, he can now function again."

Motoki accepted that with a silent nod, and returned to his duties.

"Ne, ne, Chiba-san, look!" Usagi called, and pulled out the card she had made for Tuxedo Kamen – she carried it with her constantly, just in case. "I took your advice! If I see the man that gave me that rose again, I'll give him this, and then if you have it after one of your black-outs, then we'll have some idea of what happens!"

Chiba smiled and accepted the card to look it over. "It is very nicely done," he praised. "I didn't know you had a talent for arts and crafts."

Usagi shook her head. "I don't really," she said modestly. "The rose is cut out from an old magazine, and I drew the moon using a bowl."

"I think it's lovely anyway," Chiba said firmly, and returned the card.

"Arigato."


	5. Chapter 5

Usagi had introduced Mizuno Ami to Naru the next day at school – helping the bookish girl to expand her social circle – and the three of them had agreed to go to Harajuku together the next full day that they had off from school.

There would be _no_ studying, Usagi reminded Ami firmly. She would look around the shopping district and see if there were things she wanted to try, things for her to experiment with and see if she had talent at _them_ the way she was good at her studies. After all, geniuses had to be good at more than just _one_ thing.

"Wow! There are so many people!" Ami observed, awed by the sheer numbers.

"You've never been to Harajuku before, Ami-chan?" Naru asked.

"No," Ami agreed. "I've read about it in books, and other places like it, but this is my first time ever actually going to one of the places I've read about," she explained.

"You need to get out more," Usagi teased fondly. "You're still young after all!"

"I'm sorry," Ami said softly.

"No need to apologise," Usagi and Naru said at the same time, and each linked an arm through one of Ami's.

"Now, let's go have some fun!" Naru declared happily.

"Shopping and window-shopping!" Usagi agreed with a grin.

The two experienced shoppers tugged the third girl towards the shops. The smiles hardly left their faces. They tried on sunglasses, hats and dresses. They gazed longingly at expensive shoes and laughed at strange knick-knacks. They actually spent money in the music shop and the bookshop, and then bought something to eat from one of the street vendors.

"What's going on?" Ami asked as she turned from the vendor to see a crowd of people gathered at a shop across the street. "There are so many people."

"Ooh, it must be a sale then," Naru observed with a smile. "Come on!"

"We don't even know what they're selling!" Ami protested.

Naru shrugged. "Who cares? It's a sale!" she countered, and headed over.

Usagi giggled. "We don't have to buy anything," she pointed out. "Looking _probably_ won't hurt us."

Ami accepted with a slightly sheepish giggle, and followed into the crowded shop. It was selling clocks, and the sale was in honour of the shop opening. Fifty to seventy percent off. For an opening sale. That was a serious saving.

"I wonder how they intend to stay open, if they have everything so cheap," Usagi mused softly as she looked around for Naru, who had already gone into the shop by the time Usagi convinced Ami to follow.

"Are clocks usually expensive?" Ami asked.

Usagi made a so-so gesture. "Well, it depends," she answered. "There are cheap ones and expensive ones, but this... this is _ridiculously_ cheap. It's... urk," she complained, and pulled a face as she looked up at the giant clock at the back of the shop. "_Suspiciously_ cheap," she finished unhappily as her stomach turned.

"Eh?" Ami asked, confused.

Usagi sighed and shook her head as Naru ran up to them, clearly intent on dragging them over to look at some clock in particular. "I'll explain later," she promised.

~oOo~

"Welcome home Usagi. I bought you a present while I was out shopping with Naru-chan's mother and Umino-san's mother," Ikuko said with a smile when Usagi returned home after her day of shopping with Naru and Ami.

"A present?" Usagi repeated excitedly. "Rare!" she noted with a happy smile as she accepted the package from her mother. Once she had it open, Usagi saw the cat clock from Clock Look (the shop that had been having its opening sale) resting on tissue paper.

"I got a new clock for Shingo too, and your papa is hanging up the new clock I got for our room right now," Ikuko said with a pleased smile.

"Arigato, Mama," Usagi answered with a smile, and carried the gift up to her room. "Luna," she called softly once she closed the door.

"Hmm? What is it Usagi?" the cat answered, sitting up and stretching on Usagi's bed.

"A clock from a new shop in Harajuku. It just opened today and was having a grand opening sale," she answered as she grabbed her nail file and sat down on her bed. Carefully, she slipped the end of the file under the cover and, without taking the back of the clock off, she felt around blindly. She sighed, pulled the file out, and made sure that the back of the clock was secure.

"Usagi?" Luna asked.

"There wasn't any clockwork," the girl answered. "Not even a box _holding_ clockwork with a battery. It's just _empty_. I had a bad feeling about the shop earlier too," she added.

"I could take it to Ami-chan and get her to analyse whatever is inside," Luna offered.

"Oh? How?" Usagi asked, curious.

"Sailor Mercury has always been the brainy member of the team, from what I remember -" Luna began.

"I thought you didn't remember the past well at all," Usagi said, interrupting.

Luna glared back at the girl. "It comes in bits and pieces, and I remember more of Mercury now that she is back with us," Luna informed Usagi with her nose in the air. "As I was saying, Sailor Mercury was always the brainy one, and she had a small, portable super-computer. I was given the magic to summon the items of the senshi as they were needed, so I will be able to return Sailor Mercury's computer to Ami-chan, and she'll be able to use it to analyse whatever is in the clock."

Usagi blinked once, twice, and then nodded. "Okay," she agreed, and moved to her wardrobe to grab a bag she would be able to strap to Luna's back so that the cat could carry the clock over to Ami's. "Remember to bring my bag back though. I'll meet you and Ami out front of Clock Look in two hours, okay?"

Luna nodded, and once the clock was secured, she left out the window.

~oOo~

The two hours Usagi had allowed for Ami to analyse the clock and then meet her back at Clock Look meant that it was late in the evening when the two girls returned to the Harajuku shopping district.

"Do you have a plan?" Ami asked hopefully.

"That depends," Usagi answered seriously, and turned from her new friend to Luna. "Apart from being the go-to person for brains, what can you remember of Sailor Mercury?" Usagi asked the cat seriously, even crouching down to be on a better level with her.

"To Mercury was the element of water for her techniques, which were in large part defensive manoeuvres. I very clearly remember the Shabon Spray, which created a thick, foggy cover for any and all attacks made by the other senshi," Luna answered. "Apart from that, I generally made sure to stay away from the training areas when Mercury was practising. I dislike getting my fur wet."

Usagi chuckled and stood up again. "Right," she said with a smile. "Since the shop only _opened_ today, they won't be expecting us until tomorrow at the earliest, when we would be able to see the effects of their plot. By getting here this early, we have an advantage. If we can find somewhere to slip in quietly, we'll be able to sneak around quietly until we find the monster. If we get spotted, you create some extra cover, and then I'll take out the monster," Usagi said.

Ami nodded, in agreement with the plan.

Usagi checked the street (it was deserted) and the rooftops (just in case), and called on the brooch that Luna had given her to transform with. Ami (with a cry of "Mercury power! Make up!") followed her lead, and then the two carefully circled the building, looking for a way in.

It was five minutes of searching, with no luck, when a sharp whistle sounded from above Usagi – and the initial fear of discovery faded when she saw who had summoned her attention.

"Konnichiwa, Tuxedo Kamen," she greeted softly. "Oh, I made this for you," she said quickly, and pulled the card she'd made for him out from where she had discreetly tucked it into the bow of her 'uniform'.

Tuxedo Kamen hopped down from where he had been standing on the roof of the clock shop, and accepted the card with a confused expression on what could b e seen of his face.

"It isn't much," Usagi said, "but you _have_ saved my life a couple of times."

Tuxedo Kamen smiled then. "It has always been my pleasure to do so," he said softly. "Now, Sailor Moon, I believe you and...?"

"Sailor Mercury," Usagi supplied.

"Sailor Mercury," Tuxedo Kamen agreed with a grateful nod, "were looking for a way into this building?"

"Hai," Usagi agreed. "There's a monster in there that needs to be stopped."

Tuxedo Kamen smirked, produced a rose from thin air, and threw it so that it nailed the latch of a high window. The rose somehow destroyed the lock (and considering what those roses of his had pierced before, Usagi wasn't surprised it could break a lock), and the window swung silently open.

"Does that help?" he asked.

Usagi beamed up at him. "Hai!" she answered, and made a mental note to collect that rose to take home and dry out like the others. "Arigato!"

Tuxedo Kamen bowed politely to her, a smile on his face, and then leapt away.

"Arigato, Tuxedo Kamen," Usagi repeated in a whisper, and she watched him go for a moment before fetching Ami to the window that had been opened for them.

~oOo~

Rather than going straight in, the two girls (and the cat) perched on the window ledge while Ami ran a scan of the shop on the portable super-computer that Luna had given her.

"The large clock?" Usagi asked softly.

"The large clock," Ami confirmed. "But the monster doesn't come up on my computer scans anywhere."

"Probably in a meeting with its boss," Usagi said. "I destroy the clock, and it will show up fast, I promise."

Ami swallowed nervously. "You're very calm about this," she noted.

"Are you kidding?" Usagi whisper-screamed back, eyes wide. "I'm completely in denial right now! This whole fighting monsters thing completely terrifies me! Being smart enough to be sneaky about killing them is the best way I figure to stay _alive_ until all the monsters are dealt with." Usagi looked down at Luna and added: "However long _that_ takes."

Luna closed her eyes and stuck her nose in the air with superiority. "It will take as long as it takes," she said primly. "You are Sailor Moon. Finding the Princess and defending people against these monsters is your mission."

"Yeah yeah, but it hasn't occurred to you, has it Luna?" Usagi asked softly, and removed her tiara.

"What hasn't?" Luna asked, eyes popping open in curiosity.

Usagi threw her tiara and struck the upside-down clock face dead on. The glass shattered, the entire clock shuddered, and then it crumbled.

"What is this!?" an angry voice demanded.

"Oh wow," Ami said softly as she stared at the monster. Actually, apart from the blue skin, fangs, and odd eyes, the enemy looked like some sort of American rock star, with the big hair and the colourful marks on its face... and the distinctly human figure under that red dress.

Usagi threw her tiara again, quite literally biting down on her bottom lip to keep the speech from popping out. Damn minor possession. She'd teach it – making the body move the right way when she had no idea what she was doing was okay, speech-giving was _not_.

When the monster dissolved, destroyed by Usagi's tiara, the whole building faded out of existence as well. This was slightly inconvenient, as they were all still standing on the edge of a high window.

Luna was the only one to land on her feet, but she was a cat, so that was to be expected.

Ami rubbed her lower back with a wince, as she had landed on her posterior. Usagi, having landed on her hands and knees (she had more practice catching herself from a fall from both her defence classes and her klutz attacks, though lately she hadn't been _as_ clumsy... probably from the defence classes) sat up and checked that Tuxedo Kamen's rose was still secure where she had tucked it into her hair.

It was.

"Well, that's another monster dealt with," Usagi said. "If they follow the pattern, we will have at _least_ a week before we have to deal with another one. Though it could be two or three."

"Sailor Moon," Luna said firmly. "_What_ hasn't occurred to me?" she demanded.

"When I asked you for details after that first monster, you said that the other Senshi were the princesses of their planets, right?" Usagi said.

Luna nodded.

"I'm a princess?" Ami interjected. "You failed to mention that," she noted softly.

Luna ducked her head sheepishly, but nodded again.

"Then why would 'Sailor Moon' be any different to 'Sailor Mercury' in that regard?" Usagi continued plainly.

Luna's mouth dropped open and her eyes bugged slightly. Both eyes and mouth were then tightly shut as Luna shook her head in denial. "No," she said. "Princess Serenity was not a fighter."

"If I had my way, I wouldn't be either," Usagi pointed out. "But it's for the good of the whole world that I fight, apparently, and I'm not about to let a bunch of monsters destroy my home."

Luna frowned. "This bears thinking on," she said softly.

Usagi rolled her eyes and turned to Ami. "You alright there?" she asked.

"Hai," Ami answered with a slight smile. "I should probably get home now though. I have homework to do that didn't get done today because you and Naru-chan brought me out here to shop."

Usagi giggled. "You enjoyed it," she stated, just a little teasingly.

Ami blushed. "I did," she admitted with a small smile. "I'll see you at school tomorrow?" she added.

Usagi nodded. "Hai. Come on Luna. I'm tired and ready for bed."

~oOo~

"Princess?" Ami asked in a whisper at lunch the next day.

Usagi giggled. "Still stuck on that?" she countered happily. "I thought every little girl dreamed of being a princess at least _once_ in their lives."

Ami nodded. "I did," she agreed, "but this is rather more reality-bending."

Usagi snorted indelicately. "And being able to say a couple of words that changes your wardrobe, ensures that the enemy won't recognise us even though we aren't hiding our faces at all, and fighting _monsters_ who apparently want to steal our _energy_, of all things, _isn't_?" Usagi pointed out.

Ami blushed. "It is," she conceded, "but... a princess on top of that?"

Usagi smirked deviously. "Eh, what's the matter Ami-chan? Are you thinking of the handsome general you were engaged to?" she teased.

"Eh?!" Ami yelped. "G-g-g-general? Engaged?"

Usagi giggled. "Well, from what Luna can remember, the planets all had daughters, no sons, except for Earth – and the Prince of Earth and the Princess of the Moon were apparently in love. So, it makes sense to me that you would probably be with a high-ranking official, ne?"

Ami blushed deeply. "I wasn't thinking of that," she said softly, "but I am now, and... I wonder what became of those people? If we were reincarnated, do you suppose they were as well?"

Usagi hummed in thought. "Probably," she agreed, and a bad feeling twisted in her stomach. One that she didn't want to talk about. "Do you have cram school this afternoon?" she asked, changing the subject.

"I do," Ami answered, letting the subject be changed. "You're meeting with Chiba-san as usual?"

"Hai! I've got a self-study period at the end of the day, so I should be able to get most of my homework done then, but having Chiba-san go over it with me a second time is always helpful," Usagi answered happily.

~oOo~

Chiba had a disturbed expression on his face when Usagi ran up to him where he was waiting at the school gates, and he didn't say anything when she greeted him. He just took her bag, turned, and started walking.

Usagi followed in curious, confused silence.

Chiba didn't stop except for traffic until they reached the park and their favourite bench there. It was their favourite because it was both highly visible from a distance while also being extremely private.

"Chiba-san?" Usagi asked softly.

"Tsukino-chan...No, _Usagi_-chan," he said, and reached into the inside-breast pocket of his green jacket, and pulled out the card that Usagi had showed to him so many weeks ago. The card that she had given to Tuxedo Kamen the previous night. "Will you tell me what happens during my black-outs, onegai?"

Usagi smiled, closed the distance between them, and wrapped her arms around the older man. "Sure I can, Mamoru-kun," she answered softly. "You'll probably want to sit down though," she warned with good humour. "I _still_ wish it was a dream that I'll wake up from sometimes."

Usagi explained, carefully, as much as she could about Luna ("the talking cat that could use computers, yes, sorry Mamoru-kun, but that wasn't a dream"), about being Sailor Moon (and possibly the Moon Princess as well, but that was speculation and Luna hadn't verified it yet), and about fighting monsters, and about how Tuxedo Kamen ("who, it turns out, is you, Mamoru-kun") had saved her life more than once.

Usagi even explained about her intuition and the deep suspicion she now held for everything Naru told her about.

Then she sat silently for a while and let Mamoru think over everything she'd told him, which was essentially everything that Luna had told _her_, plus a little more that Usagi had figured out on her own without Luna.

"So you're _probably_ the Princess of the Moon, and without my conscious permission I transform into Tuxedo Kamen and have been drawn to save your life and generally come to your aid -"

"I didn't say _that_, exactly," Usagi protested.

Mamoru shook his head. "You don't hear about Tuxedo Kamen on the news. The only time he shows up is to help you," he countered. "Besides," he continued in a whisper, a secret smile on his face. "I know that _I_ am drawn to you."

Usagi blushed happily at the admission.

"Logic, if it can be applied at all, would therefore dictate that I was probably the Earth Prince to your Moon Princess," Mamoru finished. "What do you think?" he asked in a conspiratorial whisper. "Will you marry me, Usagi-chan?"

"Don't let Papa hear you say things like that," Usagi answered with a smile of her own. "He'll come after you with a shot gun. Proposing to his under-aged daughter."

Mamoru chuckled. "Well, will you elope with me when you're of age then?" he asked.

Usagi giggled. "You know, I like that idea," she answered happily, unable to keep the stupid grin off her face. "But it would still find you riddled with bullet holes, and I don't like _that_ idea."

Mamou sighed. "Alright," he said. "Then how about this. Today, you and I will go to the registrar, and we'll get legally married. We'll spend the rest of your school career going on dates at the same time as I tutor you -"

"You mean like we kind of have been doing for the last few months since we met?" Usagi noted with a shy smile.

Mamoru grinned wolfishly, and nodded. "- And when you have graduated, we'll have a big white wedding on our anniversary for all your family and friends to come to. By then, your dad should be comfortable enough with the idea of me as part of your life, right?"

Usagi giggled. "Probably," she allowed, and stretched up from where she was sitting beside Mamoru to kiss his cheek. "I like that plan best," she added in a whisper.

"You know of course that it means you're not allowed to go on dates with anybody else," Mamoru warned. "If you're my wife, I would be very possessive and jealous. I have no memory of my family, so I would be very protective of you as we started our own."

Usagi fought back tears at Mamoru's admission, swiped at her eyes just to be sure, and plastered a smile across her face. "As long as you don't get snippy when I'm chatting with Motoki-onii-san, and you remember that _you_ aren't allowed to go on dates with anybody else _either_, then I think we'll be fine," she informed him.

Mamoru smiled down at her. "Why would I want to?" he asked. "Before I met you, I wasn't interested in dating at _all_. When we met, it was like I'd finally found out what the meaning of life was, corny as it sounds. I was nearly heart-broken when I saw that someone else had given you a rose. I though I'd lost my chance before it even came along."

Usagi practically glowed with happiness, then blinked and came back down to earth as a thought occurred to her. "Mamoru-kun, do you know where we can even _find_ a registrar?"

The question brought Mamoru up short, and he frowned. "I'll have to look one up, so I guess we won't be able to go until tomorrow," he said, a little sadly.

Usagi giggled. "How about we go on Sunday, so I'm not getting married in my school uniform. I know you said we'd have a big white wedding when I graduate, but I don't want to get married in my school uniform."

Mamoru nodded in consent. Her _not_ being in her school uniform would also lessen the likelihood of the police being called over a matter of potential statutory rape. Not that they would be consummating their marriage until Usagi was older. They were just getting married so that they wouldn't ever be separated. "Alright," he agreed. "Sunday. Barring any emergencies that require Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask."

Usagi leant upwards again, and kissed Mamoru's cheek, again. "It's a date," she agreed happily.

~oOo~

"Wow," Mamoru breathed when he met Usagi at the park on Sunday morning.

"If I don't quite so obviously _look_ like a minor, then the registrar won't think to object to you marrying me without my parent's permission," Usagi pointed out happily, and performed a little twirl to show off the clothes she had chosen to get married to him in today.

Or more accurately, the clothes that the Luna Pen had provided for her to get married in today. Not that Luna knew that, of course. The cat would have had kittens (to borrow the phrase) if she'd known what Usagi was using it for. The resulting dress was short (which showcased her legs), fitted (which showed off her rapidly developing figure to its best), and baby-blue with a white belt sitting snugly at her waist. The high-heels and the lace gloves she was wearing were white as well, and the Luna Pen had also styled her hair up on top of her head in a heaping pile of curls and ringlets held in place with pearl-beaded hair-pins.

The Luna Pen had even done her make-up and nails, which was really very considerate of the little gadget.

"You look great too," Usagi complimented one she'd completed her spin and was able to look Mamoru up and down.

"It's no tux, but it's a bit nicer than my usual turtle-neck and green jacket," Mamoru agreed with a chuckle. He'd gone for a white button-down shirt, a pair of dark-blue slacks, and a comfortable waistcoat in the same colour that he wore open rather than done up. He didn't want to look like he was going to an office job interview after all.

They were going to stop by a photo booth after they'd signed the registry. It was no professional photographer, but they would be pictures that would be easy to carry around.

Mamoru offered his arm and Usagi twined hers with his, and let him guide their walk from the park to his car – where there was a single, thornless white rose waiting for Usagi on the passenger seat. Usagi smiled and worked on carefully inserting it into her hair while Mamoru drove them to the registrar's office.

An hour later they left, married in the eyes of the law (the registrar hadn't looked twice at them beyond conducting the ceremony and getting their papers signed). Together, they went to find a photo booth so that they would have a tangible memory of the day apart from the marriage certificate, which they had agreed would be staying in Mamoru's apartment. There was no way they wanted to risk Usagi's family finding it, after all.

Or Luna, for that matter.

"Usako," Mamoru said softly when they were dividing the photos between the two of them. "I love you, and how beautiful you look in that dress, but you're attracting the lecherous attention of men around us who don't seem to see _me_ right here at your side."

Usagi giggled, pulled him out of the shop full of photo booths, and tugged him into the gap between that building and the next. There, she handed her rose to Mamoru and released the transformation of the Luna Pen.

Mamoru blinked in surprise.

"Papa would have grounded me for a year if I'd left the house in that dress," Usagi pointed out. "I could have argued for an hour that it was a perfectly good, descent dress, he still wouldn't have let me out in it, and for exactly the reason you spoke up about," she said plainly, and plucked her rose back out of Mamoru's fingers to insert it again into her hair. Now it stuck out of one of her odango-buns.

It was the cute blue-and-white outfit that she'd worn when she met Amade.

"Better?" she asked teasingly.

"Safer," Mamoru answered with a smile and a fond shake of his head. "Still beautiful, but now more obviously fourteen, rather than looking nineteen like me."

Usagi rose up on her tip-toes, gave Mamoru a light kiss on his cheek, and grabbed his hand happily as she dropped back down. "So, did you have any other plans for today?" she asked.

"Well, we can't go on a honeymoon right now, so how about I treat you to some cake, and then I'll take you back to my apartment and give you a tour. And a key, so you can come by any time," he offered.

Usagi smiled softly. "That sounds great," she said, love radiating from her whole face.

Mamoru kissed her forehead and tugged her out of their hiding spot. They had cake worthy of newly-weds to find.


	6. Chapter 6

It was some five weeks after she was secretly wed to Mamoru that Usagi heard a rumour (from Naru and Kuri) about a bus that was disappearing, full of passengers, every day at the same time. The police suspected mass kidnappings and had kept it quiet for as long as they could, but (apparently) two weeks worth of a six o'clock bus disappearing at the same spot each day? Yeah... no. Usagi was surprised it hadn't made the news a _lot_ sooner.

Usagi countered this by suggesting they go and buy protective amulets from a shrine she had visited (once, with Motoki-onii-san, before Luna had showed up).

Kuri had apparently heard of it, and heard that the daughter was a really and for true psychic.

Usagi wasn't sure about _that_, but she _did_ remember that the old priest was a flirt.

"Want to come Ami-chan?" Usagi offered.

Ami shook her head. "I can't," she answered. "I have cram school. Actually, I have to catch a bus to get there. Thankfully not the six o'clock bus, nor the one that goes through the Sendaizaka area."

"Yeah," Naru agreed. "That would be scary."

"Will you buy a charm for me, Usagi-chan?" Ami requested. "Just in case?"

Usagi nodded. "Sure," she agreed. "Oh, Kuri-chan, Naru-chan, do you mind if my tutor comes too? He picks me up from school every day, and it would be impolite of me to cancel on him."

"Please bring him!" Naru answered swiftly. "He's so handsome!" she added with stars in her eyes and a sigh.

"He'll probably talk about nothing but history for the whole walk," Usagi warned playfully. She had history homework after all, so she was bound and determined to steer the conversation that way – after informing Mamoru of the _reason_ she and two of her friends wanted to visit a shrine with a flirty old priest.

"Ne, Usagi-chan, are you on first-name terms with him yet?" Naru asked, a few hours later as the three friends headed for the school gate.

"Hai," Usagu answered with a nod. "Mamoru-san has been my tutor for a couple of months -" it felt like she had known him all her life though, and he felt the same way, "- we agreed that we could be a little less impersonal."

"Use of my given name is not an invitation I extend to just anybody though," Mamoru chipped in, having heard them as they got closer. "Usagi-chan," he greeted with a smile, then turned to the other two girls. "Osaka-san, and...?"

"Honda Kuri-chan," Usagi supplied.

"Honda-san," Mamoru said, nodding at the girl. "Pleased to meet you. Please call me Chiba-san."

"Ah, hai!" the girl agreed with a slight blush.

"Mamoru-san, Naru-chan was telling me about a bus that has been disappearing _every day_ at the same time in the same place," Usagi said, when he turned back to her with a silently questioning expression on his face. "We're going to the Hikawa Shrine to get protective amulets, and an extra one for Ami-chan, since she catches a bus to her cram school."

"I suppose you telling me this means you want me to either come with you, or wait for you somewhere?" Mamoru guessed with a raised eyebrow.

Usagi resisted the urge to wrap her hands around Mamoru's. "Please come with us," she requested.

"What homework do you have?" Mamoru asked, instead of answering the request.

"History," Usagi promptly answered, and produced the diary where she had written down the details of the assignment.

Mamoru accepted the book, read the entry, and nodded when he handed it back to her. "The topic of conversation for this walk will revolve around the political reasons for the Boshin War," he instructed.

Naru and Kuri groaned unhappily, but Usagi nodded eagerly and launched into what she could remember from class that day. When Luna joined them five minutes later, Usagi remained attentive to her discussion with Mamoru even as she bent so that Luna could more easily hop into her arms and be carried.

~oOo~

"Oh, you girls are so pretty," the old priest greeted them with a smile. "Wanna work part time as a shrine maiden?" he offered.

"Eh?" Nau and Kuri said, each taking a hesitant step back.

"Thank you for the offer, Saishi-sama," Usagi answered as she stepped forward instead and bowed politely (and Luna hopped down from her hold). "But we only came today for amulets to protect us and ward off evil."

"Stop flirting with girls Grandpa," another voice yelled, and a girl who was a more traditional Japanese beauty than Usagi would ever be marched up in shrine maiden robes.

"Oh, Rei-chan," the old man greeted with a smile.

"People around the neighbourhood are talking about you, and not in a nice way," she scolded.

"No harm done, Miko-sama," Usagi placated with a wave of one hand, even while the other subtly took hold of one of Mamoru's, to make sure he knew he _really_ didn't need to get jealous and protective about a flirty old man. At the same time, she was seeking a little bit of reassurance from him. The girl was very pretty, with her long black hair, and in her traditional white haori and red hakama. Usagi had only met the flirty old head priest last time she'd come. She didn't know the miko was so... well, it was enough to make a girl doubt her ability to appeal to her _husband_.

Mamoru squeezed her hand back, simply glad to have it in his, and unaware of Usagi's insecurity – but then, he didn't see any reason for her to _be_ insecure. He thought she was just uncomfortable because of the flirty old man.

Suddenly, the shrine maiden went tense. "I sense an unusual aura," she said with a frown. "An evil spirit?!"

Usagi frowned and focused as well. She was no psychic, but she had good insticts, and had been able to sense Ami's energy when they'd talked. Now she could sense _this_ girl's, and where Ami had felt like water, this girl felt like fire.

Beyond her (and Mamoru) though, there was another. Another that felt familiar... Jadeite!

"You can try to bring misfortune to our shrine, but I won't allow you!" the shrine maiden declared passionately, and pulled an ofuda from her haori with a flourish. "Begone, evil spirit!" she yelled.

Mamoru quickly pulled Usagi into his chest and wrapped an arm around her waist, while the other hand shot out to take hold of the shrine maiden's. His expression was stormy.

"I came to buy an amulet to ward off evil," Usagi said, her voice shaking a bit with the sudden, brief surge of adrenaline through her system. "Not be accused of _being_ evil."

The shrine maiden winced. "Gomen nasai," she apologised. "My sixth sense and prophesies used to be absolutely accurate, but... these last few weeks they've gone completely haywire."

Usagi nodded in acceptance of the apology and explanation, and looked up at Mamoru. "I'm okay, Mamoru-san," she said softly.

Mamoru nodded and released his hold on the shrine maiden's ofuda-weilding hand, but he kept his other arm protectively around Usagi. He also continued to frown at the shrine maiden (for her attack) and the old priest (for his flirting).

Usagi sighed. "We should get those amulets and just go maybe," she suggested.

"Hai," the shrine maiden agreed, only a little sadly. "I'll fetch them for you."

~oOo~

"Mercury was associated with ice and water, ironic for the planet closest to the sun," Usagi said as she walked back home a couple of hours later, Luna at her side rather than in her arms. "Venus with... light and metal," she continued, hesitantly, trying to force memories of her previous life as the Moon Princess back to the surface (Luna had finally verified that, while she sincerely personally doubted it, there was some credence to Usagi's speculation on that point). "However much she claimed it was 'love'. Ah! _Mars_ was fire!" Usagi said, jubilant. "So, the familiar, fire-y feeling I got from Hino-san -" the shrine maiden had properly introduced herself as Hino Rei when she'd brought back their protective amulets, and apologised again for attacking Usagi with an ofuda. "- was recognising her as Mars."

Luna sighed. "And there I was thinking I'd found the Moon Princess when she mentioned her sixth sense and prophesies," she said sadly. "But, Usagi-chan, there's something strange going on at that shrine, and with those disappearing buses."

"I know," Usagi answered. "Ne, Luna, what can you tell me about Jadeite?" she asked.

"Where did you hear that name?" Luna asked, surprised.

Usagi shook her head. "Does it matter? Who was he?"

"He was one of the Shitennou," Luna answered, and frowned to herself as she visibly _fought_ with her mind, as she sought out memories. "The Shitennou were all generals and bodyguards to Prince Endymion of Earth, like the Senshi of Mercury, Venus, Mars and Jupiter were for Princess Serenity."

Usagi smiled at the comparison, and at the memories of her own previous life that Luna's words had helped bring to the surface.

"Jadeite was betrothed to the Princess of Mars," she said softly.

"Yes, but despite that, he and the other three Shitennou weren't too fond of the Moon Kingdom. They were suspicious of the way the Moon orbited the Earth, and I think were still arguing with Prince Endymion about the matter when Queen Beryl attacked," Luna said.

Usagi frowned. "Luna, is there anything I can do about... lifting mind control?" she asked.

"Moon tiara stardust," Luna answered primly. "You've used it before."

"I meant something more powerful, for against a really _strong_ mind control, not just the hypnotism the monsters use," Usagi countered.

Luna hummed thoughtfully, but eyed Usagi in a measuring, sceptical way. "Well," she said at last, "if you _are_ the Moon Princess, you would be able to use the Moon Wand. That would purge all dark influences from a person, including mind control. It wouldn't be complete without the Silver Crystal, but it would still work."

Usagi stopped walking and turned to her cat, hand held out. "Moon Wand please," she requested.

Luna blinked. "Usagi... the Moon Wand is property of the Royal Family. I can't hand it out to just anybody," Luna said flatly. "And if you're _not_ the Moon Princess, then you wouldn't be able to use it anyway."

Usagi frowned at the cat. "I thought we'd established that the chances of me being the Moon Princess were good, and if I _can_ use the Moon Wand, then that would be final proof, wouldn't it?" she countered.

"I don't see why you need it," Luna grumbled, and turned her face away.

"Because Jadeite is hanging around Hikawa shrine, and I _don't_ think it's because he's trying to get his relationship with the Princess of Mars started up again," Usagi answered sharply.

Luna's head whipped around and her mouth dropped open in surprise.

Usagi got the Moon Wand.

~oOo~

Usagi and Mamoru were settled in 'their' booth at the arcade, and Motoki had come and gone, leaving behind Usagi's milkshake and Mamoru's coffee, so it was just the two of them and they wouldn't be disturbed for the rest of the afternoon unless Luna made an appearance. Considering that she was presently at Hikawa shrine, looking for an opportunity to give the girl the Mars Pen and explain to her about being a Senshi, that was unlikely to happen _that_ afternoon.

Usagi's homework had been dealt with before the drinks had come – Mamoru's tutelage meant that Usagi was even more capable of getting her work done during her self-study times. The topic on the table at the moment was instead Mamoru's past life as Prince Endymion. Specifically, his relationships with his generals and bodyguards, the Shitennou.

"I... I don't remember them," Mamoru admitted. "I don't really remember anything from before I woke up in the hospital and they told me that my parents had died in a car crash, and I was lucky to have lived."

"Mamoru-kun," Usagi said softly, sadly, and reached across the table to take his hand in hers. "I'm sorry that you lost your family, but I'm glad you lived," she said, and (crybaby that she was) couldn't help the tears that gathered in her eyes. One slipped free and started to roll slowly down her cheek.

Neither of them moved to wipe it away, though Usagi did sniff a little.

"The only thing I _do_ remember, that might be from my previous life, is... I kept having this dream. I'm out on a balcony, and it's night, but rather than seeing the moon up in the sky, I see Earth instead. There's a beautiful woman there too."

Usagi raised an eyebrow pointedly at that.

Mamoru chuckled, and reached out to lay his other hand over the top of hers. "With her long golden hair done up in odango, just like yours," he said fondly. "I think you kept the same hairstyle even though you got reincarnated, Odango Atama."

Usagi giggled and stuck her tongue out at him.

Mamoru chuckled as well. "She kept begging me to find her, and find 'the Silver Crystal'. Since I met you, that changed a bit," he said with a smile.

"Oh?"

Mamoru nodded. "Now she says 'you found me, please help me find the Silver Crystal'," he supplied.

"Luna mentioned a Silver Crystal as well," Usagi said. "Yesterday, when I was asking about ways to break mind control spells."

"Any idea where to find it?" Mamoru asked.

Usagi shook her head, and unknowingly shook free that single tear that had been trailing down her face. With a soft but solid _thump_, it bounced off her arm and rolled, solid, onto the table-top. They both stared.

"Is that...?" Mamoru asked.

"I think so," Usagi answered.

They looked up at each other, and slowly shocked laughter started to burble up and out past their lips.

Mamoru picked it up, that stunned grin still on his face as the laughter he couldn't stop continued to come, and with his other hand turned Usagi's over so that he could place the Silver Crystal in her hand.

They both froze as the memories of their lives as Endymion and Serenity flooded their minds in full clarity.

"I need another coffee," Mamoru said with a groan as he reached for his head when the memories finally stopped.

"Caffeine is bad for headaches," Usagi moaned back. "I'll go ask Motoki-onii-san for a pitcher of water for us to share," she said, and forced herself up from her seat. "There are some non-prescription pain-relief pills in my bag. I'll share," she promised with a weak smile, and very deliberately left the Silver Crystal on the table when she left to get the water for them.

Mamoru pulled Usagi's bag across the table to himself and opened it, looking for the promised pills. He found the Moon Wand that he now recognised from his memories of being Prince Endymion, and quickly attached the Silver Crystal to it, then kept digging around for those pills.

Usagi returned with a large plastic bottle of water and two clean plastic cups just as Mamoru finally found the packet.

"Crystal's on the wand," Mamoru said shortly as he took the cups from Usagi and set them on the table so she could pour while he popped out two pills for each of them.

"Thank you," Usagi answered, just as minimally.

Together, they tossed back the pills and drained their cups of water.

"I'm nothing like Princess Serenity," Usagi said once the pills had kicked in.

"I don't really have a whole lot in common with Endymion either," Mamoru pointed out. "But you _are_ still beautiful, and kind, and loving, and wonderful, so you have that much in common with her at least."

Usagi smiled, a little weakly, in appreciation of the compliments. "And you're still devilishly handsome and _much_ too charming for your own good or mine," she said. "But you know what, Mamoru? I think I like you as you are now _better_ than I like the dashing prince I can remember."

Mamoru's answering smile was utterly grateful. "If I compare how in love I was with you as Endymion, and how in love with you I am now, I think I'm more in love now," he told her.

Usagi smiled back happily. "Want to go back to Hikawa Shrine with me and get Jadeite back?" Usagi asked. "I sensed him there yesterday," she said in answer to his surprised and enquiring look. "I wasn't asking about your Shitennou completely out of the blue, Mamoru-kun."

Mamoru chuckled wryly and shook his head, impressed. "Yeah," he agreed. "Let's go get Jadeite. You should present yourself to Mars too. You said Luna was talking to her today?"

Usagi nodded. "Once we've got Jadeite on side, it should be that much easier to get back the bus-loads of people he's kidnapped for Beryl."

Mamoru nodded in agreement. They had a plan.

~oOo~

It was a six by the time they had gotten to the shrine, and looking back down the shrine steps, Mamoru and Usagi could _see_ the bus as it disappeared. It lifted off the ground and was swallowed up into nothingness.

"Jadeite will get them out for us as soon as we have him back on-side," Mamoru promised Usagi softly.

She nodded in hesitant agreement, and turned with firmed resolve. They _would_ get Jadeite back to taking orders from his rightful Prince again. He'd be able to _help_ them, rather than being their enemy.

"Oh, back again so quickly?" the old priest asked.

"Saishi-sama, where might we find your new helper?" Mamoru asked politely.

"Iwao-san? Oh, he's probably making Rei-chan's dinner, or cleaning the warehouse," the old man answered jovially. "But I didn't expect _you_ to be asking after him, young man. Of the two of you, I'd have expected that question from the pretty young lady!"

"He's an old friend," Mamoru said with a shake of his head. "I didn't recognise him yesterday, since I only saw him from a distance, but I realised who he was when I woke up."

"Ah!" the old priest said. "Well, go on, go on! Don't let me detain you! If he isn't in the warehouse, he's probably watching over Rei-chan as she begs answers from the great flame," he said, and pointed them in the right direction with a smile.

"Arigato," Mamoru and Usagi both said with a quick bow, and hurried off to the building the old man had indicated.

"So, you're the origin of this evil!" they heard Hino-san say as they got closer to the warehouse.

"What are you talking about?" another, male voice, answered more softly.

"Don't play dumb! I trust the fire and it's telling me that you're the main instigator! Who _are_ you?"

"So, you found out," the male voice said. "You will go inside too!" he declared.

"What is – _Ahh_!" Hino-san screamed.

Usagi called out her transformation, and she and Mamoru (who had taken her cue to transform into Tuxedo Kamen), entered the warehouse to find Jadeite chuckling to himself in a room where his only company was a pile of Shinto relics.

Mamoru dashed past Usagi and grabbed Jadeite, restraining him so that he would be unable to stop the 'attack' they had planned for him.

Usagi, now recognising the 'possession' as being her previous life coming to the fore, was able to do the moves without quite so much yelling. The spell – because that's what it actually was – still needed the name of the spell to be spoken, and the movements to happen, but there would be _no_ more speech-making, now that she was in full possession of her memories as Serenity, and she didn't have to _yell_ the spells any more to make them work.

"Moon healing escalation," Usagi declared as she twirled the wand in her hand, swept it out at him, and directed the power of the Silver Crystal at Jadeite.

"What?!" Jadeite exclaimed as the power rushed at him. It washed over him, bathed him in gold light. "Wh-what?" he asked again, much more groggily as he sagged and swayed in Mamoru's hold.

"Jadeite, you just sent Mars into some alternative space," Mamoru said with a displeased growl. "What were you _thinking_? If you're having relationship issues, that is _not_ the way to deal with them!"

"Sire?" Jadeite asked, confused as he looked over his shoulder at Tuxedo Kamen. "What are you wearing? Oh no, what have I _done_?"

Mamoru chuckled and released his hold on Jadeite. "Welcome back," he said. "Can you fix it?"

Jadeite nodded and with a gesture re-created the portal that he had sent Hino-san through, only this time without the strong, sucking wind feature that had dragged her in.

"I'll see you guys in there," Usagi said. "I can't drive the buses back out, but I _will_ be good to help Hino-san calm down."

"Hino-san being the reincarnation of your betrothed," Mamoru said dryly.

"She must hate me now," he said with a wince.

Mamoru lay a hand on Jadeite's shoulder comfortingly. "I thought she already hated you when you were betrothed," he joked. "Let her scream at you a bit, grovel, she'll forgive you eventually, I'm sure."

Jadeite smiled weakly at his prince, nodded in gratitude, and hurried through the portal, Mamoru at his side.

~oOo~

Luna hadn't been able to find an opportunity to talk to Hino until they had been sucked through the black portal into the alternative dimension with all the buses, and when she _did_ get the opportunity, it was by necessity very brief. There was a monster to deal with after all. Distracted momentarily by the crows that Hino had tamed, but still an issue.

And when Hino finally transformed into Sailor Mars... Usagi charged in and threw her tiara at the monster that was focused on the new Senshi. It might have been dishonourable to get your enemy in the back, but it was also _efficient_ and much safer than a full frontal charge.

"You -!" Hino exclaimed, shocked.

Usagi gave a cheeky salute. "Me," she answered. "And in company," she added, and turned to the black portal behind her.

Tuxedo Kamen and Jadeite stepped out.

"_You_," Hino growled dangerously, her eyes focused on the blonde man.

"Ah ah, Sailor Mars. I only just released Jadeite from Queen Beryl's mind control. You can't set him on fire," Usagi ordered with a wagging finger.

Hino grit her teeth and looked like she wasn't going to listen when Jadeite got down on his knees and prostrated himself. "I am sorry for the trouble I caused you," he said, "but even when I could not remember you at all, I was still drawn to you, still found a way to care for you. Please give me a chance to make up for the wrongs I have done," he begged softly.

Hino blinked, and then her eyes rolled up in her head. Usagi, being the nearest, caught her with a surprised yelp. Jadeite was at her side quickly, and took Hino from Usagi while Mamoru helped the blonde back to her feet.

"Jadeite, you take her back home. Luna, you go with them," Usagi instructed. "It seems to me that there still needs to be a lot of explaining done."

Luna nodded. "Hai," she agreed. "I had been unable to get Rei-chan alone until just now. I haven't been able to really explain anything." Luna cast a suspicious glance at Jadeite. "Are you sure about him though?" she asked.

Usagi held up the Moon Wand, with the Silver Crystal attached. "Yes," she answered flatly.

Luna's eyes bugged and her jaw dropped.

"Unless you doubt the powers of this particular item?" Usagi questioned.

Luna's eyes and mouth snapped shut and shook her head vehemently.

"Good. Tuxedo Kamen and I will take the buses back to the Sendaizaka, and make sure all the passengers are alright," Usagi continued. "Then... Meet tomorrow afternoon? I'll bring Sailor Mercury along as well, and we can talk about exactly what the enemy is up to," she decided, and sent a significant look towards Jadeite.

"Provided I live that long," he said, as he looked nervously down at the girl passed out in his arms, though there was a fond light in his eyes as well. He looked back up at Usagi and Mamoru, a steely, determined expression on his face. "I am truly grateful to be offered a chance to get even a small measure of revenge against Beryl for what she has done to not only myself, but to you and my comrades as well."

Usagi and Mamoru nodded. If they had their way, they'd get the rest of Mamoru's Shitennou back from Beryl as well.


	7. Chapter 7

In order to keep things business-like and focused, the Senshi were all in uniform, while Mamoru was wearing his Tuxedo Kamen disguise, and Jadeite was dressed in his own uniform. Not the uniform he had worn as Beryl's general, but the uniform he had worn as Prince Endymion's. It wasn't terrifically different – it had a deep blue trim instead of red, there a cape was fixed to his shoulders, and he had a sword strapped to his hip, but otherwise it was essentially the same.

Luna sat on the table in the middle of them all.

"So, it seems that Sailor Moon really is the Moon Princess," the cat began. "And that Tuxedo Kamen is the Earth Prince," she added, and sent a disapproving look at the man that had her princess in his lap.

Mamoru grinned back and wrapped his arms around Usagi's waist, happy in the knowledge that however much others disapproved, he and Usagi had beaten them all – they were married already, and though they weren't exactly living the married life, it was only a matter of time. Nothing and no one would ever separate them.

Usagi, Senshi and Princess of the Moon, and fourteen-year-old girl, stuck out her tongue at the disapproving feline.

"You said when we met that my 'mission' was to find and protect the Moon Princess with 'the others'," Usagi pointed out. "Well, I've found her, and I am very serious about her protection. There's just the matter of the 'others'."

"We need to save Zoisite, Nephrite and Kunzite from Beryl," Jadeite said. "As well as find Jupiter and Venus at the very least."

"What about the other, outer planets?" Ami asked. "Don't they have representative Senshi as well?"

Jadeite, Luna, Usagi and Mamoru all nodded in answer.

"Pluto was not reincarnated by Queen Serenity's power when Beryl attacked," Jadeite said. "As the Senshi of the outer-most planet, she was in little danger from the war, and as the guardian of the Gates of Time, she took her duties _very_ seriously and refused to be removed. She's still there, I believe."

"I remember that Uranus and Neptune were always very close, and also that they followed Jupiter's example in being _extremely_ protective of me," Usagi said, and sighed. "Even from things I didn't need protecting from."

"Like me," Mamoru said, and a naughty smirk crossed his features.

"She most certainly _did_ need protecting from you!" Luna snapped.

"No I didn't," Usagi countered firmly.

"The Shitennou believed that Prince Endymion needed to be protected from you, Princess," Jadeite offered, and then smiled wryly. "I can see now that it was foolishness on our part."

Usagi shook her head. "No," she said, "I can see where you and the others were coming from. The Moon Kingdom was powerful and large. Every planet but Venus and Mercury has at least one satellite that is an arm of the Moon Kingdom, but the single Moon that orbited Earth, the only planet that didn't supply a Senshi to be part of my personal guard, was the one that the royal family had chosen to occupy just as I was coming of age."

Jadeite nodded. "We felt you watched Earth too closely, and had devious plans for our Prince," he admitted.

Usagi smiled. "We watched because Earth was the most beautiful of all the planets," she said. "My mother was mourning her husband, and the beauty of Earth soothed her. No one anticipated my meeting with Prince Endymion, or the love that followed. There were no devious plans."

"You mean until Beryl came along and decided that I _would_ be her lover, regardless of my feelings on the matter," Mamoru said with blatant disgust. "Honestly, I wouldn't have put it past her to have tried brainwashing the whole galaxy into believing that we should be kept apart."

Ami's eyes bugged at the implication of Beryl's power as she tried to quantify it in her mind.

Jadeite's jaw dropped as the actual _possibility_ of that lodged in his brain. Maybe not the whole galaxy, but she could well have started subverting the Shitennou back that early.

"If you looked anything like you do now back when you were Prince Endymion, I don't entirely blame her," Rei commented.

"Mars!" Luna yelped.

"I'm not taking her side, I'm just saying I can see where she's coming from, wanting a hottie all to herself," Rei defended, hands raised.

"Am I not good enough?" Jadeite asked softly.

Rei narrowed her eyes and glared at him a little, then sighed. "You're good enough," she relented, and rolled her eyes. A hint of a smile danced around the corners of her lips.

Usagi clapped her hands twice. "Very happy for you, but back to the business at hand?" she requested. "Ugh, why do _I_ have to be the responsible one?" she whined rhetorically. "I'm only fourteen!"

"You're also the Princess," Mamoru answered cheekily. "_My_ Princess," he added in a husky whisper, his lips brushing against Usagi's ear.

A light blush tinged Usagi's cheeks as she smiled in contentment at the possessive tone in his voice, but there were still important things to discuss. "So! We need to find Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune, and we need to free Zoisite, Nephite, and Kunzite from Beryl," Usagi said firmly. "And probably... kill Beryl," she added with a grimace. She didn't like fighting, and especially didn't like killing (and if she'd been more efficient at that aspect of being Sailor Moon, then they wouldn't have Jadeite with them right now, so she was going to call that a good thing right now).

"I still need to report to her about my latest failure to gather energy," Jadeite said. "I could -"

"Jadeite," Mamoru cut in. "I had better not hear you finish that sentence with 'kill her then'," he warned. "You're not expendable, and to kill Beryl when in _her_ domain, surrounded my _her_ subjects, would be far too dangerous."

Jadeite sighed. "As you please, my Prince," he deferred. "Then I shall seek out the other Shitennou, and find a way to bring them here so that the Moon Princess may save them as I was saved," he said with a nod to Usagi.

She nodded back. "Well, that's three," she said. "Mars, could you ask the fire who the other Senshi are? I think you're more likely to find them quickly."

Rei nodded in agreement. "I can do that," she said.

"Once they're found, Luna, Mercury, I want you together to approach them," Usagi said once she'd nodded in appreciation to Rei and turned to the other girl and the cat.

"M-me?" Ami stuttered, shocked.

"Hai," Usagi said firmly. "You. This will accomplish two things. One: you will be forced to be a little more social and do something more with your life than study, And two: you're really the best person to remember all the important details that Luna might forget."

"Like what?" Ami asked, confused. "I don't remember my previous life, and Luna does, however mixed up it got by the Queen's spell that sent all of our souls to this time."

"Details like having a betrothed," Usagi said with a nod to Jadeite, "and being a princess yourselves as well, not just the bodyguards to one. Then of course there's the fact that we've got to take down a psychotic woman who has styled herself as a queen."

Ami nodded. "Right," she said, and her voice was soft but resolved.

"And what will you do?" Luna asked curiously.

"Heal the Shitennou when Jadeite brings them to me," Usagi counted off on her fingers, "continue to fight the monsters that will most likely keep coming," she continued.

Jadeite nodded in confirmation when Usagi glanced at him to be sure of that statement.

"Keep up my studies, do my best to start restoring the Moon Kingdom when I have a spare moment," Usagi continued to count off.

"We'll probably have to set up living arrangements for the Shitennou," Mamoru added. "Jadeite living at Mars' shrine is just a bit of good luck."

Rei nodded. "We can't afford to take on any more helpers right now," she agreed.

"And there's no way I could convince my mother to let a man live with us in our apartment, especially one she's never met before who I would be claiming was the man I was betrothed to in a previous life," Ami added with a shake of her head.

"I know my dad would bring out the shot-gun if I tried that," Usagi agreed.

"We've all got our assignments then," Mamoru said. "We just need a way to contact each other. Mars to pass on information to Mercury and Luna, Jadeite to let the Princess and I know he's managed to get one of the Shitennou away, and of course so that _we_ can contact the rest of you in the event of an emergency."

Luna nodded, jumped, and performed that magical little back-flip that had never failed to leave behind a new item for the Senshi. This time, she provided them with communicators.

"These are _not_ to be treated as regular phones," she warned. "Senshi and Shitennou business _only_."

"Hai hai," Usagi agreed, and picked up the one that had a golden crescent moon over the screen. Two others had the symbol of Mars, one in red and one in blue, for Rei and Jadeite respectively. Ami's had Mercury's symbol emblazoned on it, and one had a golden orb – clearly meant for Mamoru. The final communicator was smaller than the rest, and judging by the clip on it, Usagi guessed it was to be attached to Luna's collar.

Ami obliged by performing that duty.

~oOo~

Rescuing the Shittenou had to be done much more carefully than finding the other Senshi (Rei had already found Jupiter, and Ami and Luna had made contact with her. There was just Venus and the outer Senshi still to find). Particularly, it had to be done in such a way that Beryl would not become suspicious of Jadeite. Since her spell over him had been broken by Usagi, Jadeite theorised that Beryl would believe him dead. He spent a little time settling in to life on Earth in the present, and getting to know his Prince once more, rather than immediately returning to Beryl's domain to seek out the other Shittenou.

Having to go slowly left a sour taste in his mouth, but it had to be so, and he knew it. Under Beryl's command, speed had always been of the essence, and that had been the downfall of every plot to gather energy that he had conducted. Moving too fast had attracted Sailor Moon's attention, and gotten his monsters destroyed.

No great loss now, but consecutive defeats at the hands of a single little girl was very frustrating at the time. To say nothing of a blow to his male ego.

Jadeite spent most of his time at the Hikawa shrine, encouraging visitors to buy amulets, fortunes, and votive paintings with far greater success than Rei's grandfather – if for no other reason than the young girls who came would take the chance offered to them while buying something to try and flirt with him. Rei was _only_ placated by the fact that he didn't flirt back and that it brought more money to the shrine.

He also cooked, and very well besides, which helped his cause with the fiery young woman (who could only do the very basics without setting the whole thing on fire).

On the nights that he was not so exhausted from doing chores around the shrine and being unfailingly (but politely) _uninterested_ in the young women who came to buy amulets and flirt with him, Jadeite reconnoitred Beryl's castle. It was difficult, because all the beings and youma there could sense energy to a certain extent, and if any of them became aware of _him_, then the ruse of his death would be ruined.

It took him five trips to the dangerous, depressing place over the course of three weeks to find out who had been sent to take over what had been his task, and he was still the first to know. Nephrite had always been the most cautious of the Shitennou. Being brainwashed by Beryl hadn't changed that about him.

Jadeite contacted his prince as soon as he knew where Nephrite had his base of operations in Japan – because Nephrite _always_ made a base for himself, a sort of war-camp behind enemy borders, but where they wouldn't notice his intrusion unless they actually went looking. Which Jadeite had.

Mamoru and Usagi swung by the temple when classes let out – Mamoru driving his red sports car – and collected Jadeite so that he could give directions and be on hand for his friend when he was recovered from Beryl's influence.

~oOo~

"Another failure, Nephrite-kun?" a voice taunted from the balcony above them.

The three had left the sports car a way down from the house. The engine was less than quiet, and would have given them away before they got near.

Jadeite blinked in surprise. "I'm not sure if we got lucky or unlucky," he said. "That's Zoisite."

Mamoru frowned. "I don't remember Zoisite taking pleasure in Nephrite's failures before," he commented.

Jadeite shook his head. "Beryl's influence," he explained shortly. "I'll go first," he volunteered, and slipped off before either Usagi or Mamoru could counter then notion.

Usagi closed her eyes and raised a hand to her brooch. A moment later, she was Sailor Moon and had the Moon Wand ready in her hand while Tuxedo Kamen stood at her side.

"Jadeite!" two voices yelled in surprise above them.

"We all thought you were dead!" Nephrite continued, and rushed to embrace his friend. "Queen Beryl said that your energy had disappeared from her divination."

"To Queen Beryl, I am dead," Jadeite answered, returning the embrace with one arm while he lay the other hand on Zoisite's shoulder. "I have missed you both, however."

"What do you mean, you _are_ dead to Queen Beryl?" Zoisite asked, even as he grasped the hand on his shoulder and was clearly grateful to see his friend alive.

"Moon healing escalation!" Usagi called out then, and the golden light of the Moon Wand and the Silver Crystal raced at the three men, washing over and through them, removing the stain of Beryl's controlling spells.

Jadeite caught Nephrite when he collapsed from the effects of Usagi's cleansing magic, and Mamoru was quick to catch Zoisite before he could fall over the side of the balcony when his knees gave out.

"Wha... Jadeite?" Nephrite asked, confused.

"Hello my friend," Jadeite answered with a slight smile. "Where in this massive house you acquired for yourself is the bedroom? You should probably lie down for a while."

"And a guest room for Zoisite perhaps?" Mamoru suggested.

"Sire!" Nephrite gasped, eyes wide when he caught sight of the man who (despite being dressed _nothing_ like his monarch) he could never mistake as anybody else, even as he had just been getting his legs back under him.

"S-sire?" Zoisite echoed weakly.

Mamoru chuckled and nodded. "Good to have you back my friends," he said.

"We just need to find a way to get Kunzite back now," Usagi said, drawing the surprised attention of Nephrite and Zoisite. "I'm sorry you're both so weak," she apologised. "Jadeite wasn't when I healed him. I don't know what's different."

"I do," Jadeite said. "Zoisite and Nephrite haven't been eating real food for the last thousand years, whereas I _was_ eating, even just a little, and for no greater reason than to blend in, but I was eating, and that's what made the difference," he explained.

Usagi nodded in understanding. "Well, Jupiter's a mad-keen cook these days, and really good at it too, so she'll be happy to feed you both back up to full strength," she said with a smile.

"Jupiter?" Nephrite repeated, a hopeful light in his eyes.

Usagi giggled. "She's not exactly the same as she used to be," she warned, "but since Mars and Mercury made contact with her, she's been a real mother hen to the rest of us."

"Mercruy... Oh no," Zoisite moaned. "How can I ever face her again?"

Mamoru chuckled. "You're not going to have much of a choice," he informed his most feminine general. "She's decided that she would help you learn how to function in the current time as part of her 'getting to know you all over again' plan."

"They were reincarnated," Jadeite explained. "They don't remember their previous lives, but they're willing to let us back into their lives again."

"We don't deserve such wonderful women," Nephrite said fondly.

"Work on that then," Mamoru suggested with good humour, "because they're determined to give you a chance."

"Don't blow it," Usagi ordered firmly.

"Princess," Zoisite greeted, finally recognising the wand in her hand and the crystal that adorned it, and figuring out who she must therefore be. "I give you my solemn vow to strive every day to be worthy of this second chance you have given me today."

Usagi smiled. "That's the right attitude," she said. "Now, off to bed with the both of you. I'll send Jupiter around tomorrow with a big basket of food, and Mercury will probably join her."

~oOo~

"Hey Usagi," Shingo called.

"What's up?" Usagi answered.

"That's kinda what I was gonna ask you," the ten-year-old said. "You've gone from a barely-passing grade to blitzing all your tests and getting perfect marks on your homework."

"I was doing better than 'barely passing', thank you! And Mamoru-san is a great tutor," Usagi said, rolling her eyes and smiling wryly, careful to not let on to her brother that Mamoru was more to her than that.

"You're not clumsy any more either," Shingo persisted.

"Did you _like_ seeing me fall on my face all the time?" Usagi asked incredulously. "The self defence classes have been good for my co-ordination." Complete and total truth.

"And you don't hang out with Naru-san as much any more," Shingo stated.

Usagi blinked. "Shingo, she's in my class and sits right next to me every day. We talk before class every morning and hang out nearly every lunch time. Osaka-san has decided that Naru-chan is old enough to help in the shop after school now though, and she has cram school as well, so she doesn't have as much time for me after school," Usagi explained a little sadly. That was all true as well. It left out that she was _also_ kind of busy with the occasional monster sent by Beryl to steal energy for the disembodied being that _she_ answered to (the sadly still-incomplete Shitennou had been able to bring a _lot_ of information to the table).

Still, completely true.

Shingo frowned. "And you're changing," he finished sadly.

Usagi smiled gently. "That's what growing up is supposed to be," she said. "You'll do it too," she promised with a chuckle.

Shingo grumbled. "I _won't_," he protested.

"You will," Usagi countered with a laugh. "If you don't, then you'll be looked down on as being childish, you won't be able to handle junior-high, high school, and then maybe college, and no one will ever give you a job. To say nothing of still being _short_, if you don't ever even grow taller."

Shingo pouted.

"Look, Shingo, do you want to do something this weekend?" she offered. "We could hang out, just the two of us. We haven't done that for a while."

"Yeah!" Shingo answered instantly, then looked away and pretended that he hadn't just given a _very_ enthusiastic affirmative. "I mean, yeah, that'd be cool. I don't have anything else planned."

Usagi smirked. "And hey, I never thanked you for making the effort to give Luna a chance. I owe you a present, right?" she suggested. "A couple of rounds in the arcade and a massive banana split sundae?" she suggested. "You'd better have all your homework done though, or Mama won't let you out of the house."

"You're on!" Shingo answered happily, and raced out of Usagi's room back to his.

~oOo~

They were out of their winter uniforms (that is to say, long-sleeved shirts over their pleated skirts) and into their summer uniforms (short-sleeved shirts over their pleated skirts) when Rei finally got a pin on Venus. She had been complaining every other meeting that whenever she'd tried to find the Senshi she had been confronted with Sailor V posters and game consoles.

That certainly gave her a good idea of what their missing member was up to these days, but wasn't very helpful for tracking her down.

Things had been busy on the fighting front too. Kunzite hadn't been immediately accessible to his comrades, as he had been busy with other matters on Beryl's behalf within her castle. A series of lower-ranked youma had been making their appearances, gathering energy, in much the same style as they had done under Jadeite's instruction – meaning, get a lot of energy fast, without concern for how noticeable the plot is, and then be killed for their efforts when Usagi and the others caught on to the scheme.

Kunzite was retrieved shortly after the school year ended. He'd been given a mission to find (and kill) Sailor Moon. Well, he certainly found her. The killing didn't happen though, which Usagi was rather glad of.

"Okay, so we've got all the Inner Senshi, and the Shitennou," Rei said, hands on her hips as she stood beside Jadeite, all of them in their Senshi uniforms after having fought Kunzite's very impressive monster until Usagi had managed to free _him_ from Beryl's spell before healing the person he'd used to create the monster. "What now?"

"Two options," Usagi answered tiredly. Using the Moon Wand took a bit out of her as well, and having to avoid being killed at the same time? Well, she was just plain exhausted now that the adrenaline was leaving her system. "One: we take on Beryl _now_, or two: we find the Outer Senshi and take on Beryl _later_."

"What will the Outer Senshi bring to the group?" Ami asked.

Usagi tilted her head up thoughtfully. Mercury was water and ice, Venus was light and metal (however much she protested 'love'), Mars was fire, Jupiter was lightning and wood/nature/plants (though she hardly ever used the latter set of powers in a fight). But that was powers. Of the Inner Senshi, if she could even be counted, Usagi was the only one to carry any sort of weapon. _All_ of the Outer Senshi, on the other hand, carried some sort of weapon.

"Saturn has the Silence Glaive," Usagi said. "Or had," she corrected. "I don't know if she will in this life."

"And what does the Silence Glaive do?" Rei asked pointedly.

"If I said that Saturn was the Soldier of Destruction, where you, my love, are the Soldier of Fire, and the Silence Glaive channels her powers, and if she just silently drops it, the planet she's aiming at just turns to dust, would give you some idea?" Jadeite asked softly.

Rei's eyes went wide. "Oh."

"That might be a little extreme for fighting Beryl," Kunzite offered. "She's set up her base in Antarctica. We don't really want Saturn aiming her weapon anywhere local."

"What about the others?" Jupiter, Makoto, asked.

"Sequentially, next would be Uranus," Ami stated.

Usagi nodded. "Uranus carried the Space Sword, and honestly, I never found out what it did," Usagi admitted. "But she represents the sky, and flight. I don't know if she can fly herself, or what. She mostly kept company with Neptune, who I had even _less_ to do with. I think she had some mirror?" she said uncertainly. "I know she had a lot to do with oceans and deep water, which kind of over-laps with Mercury."

"I think we can probably deal with Beryl first, and find the Outer Senshi later," Mamoru said softly.

"What about Pluto though?" Makoto asked. "Would she be helpful?"

"Pluto guards the Space-Time Door," Jadeite answered. "Also known as the Gates of Time. She doesn't leave her post if she can help it. She also wasn't reincarnated. Having that particular duty makes her more or less immune to the dangers of being pretty much anywhere else."

"It helps that she's the daughter of the Greek god Chronus, and isn't actually human herself," Usagi pointed out.

"Pretty hard to kill the child of a god," Venus, Mina, agreed.

"And yet we were," Ami countered. "All of our parents were Ancient Greek deities too. Even Usagi's original parents weren't human."

Usagi waved an absent hand. "Hai hai," she agreed. "And the more time I spend as a Senshi, the more I revert to being what I was and the less I am what I reincarnated to be. Same for all of you."

"_What_?!" the girls all screeched.

"You don't seriously think we're going to survive ruling kingdoms on other planets as _humans_, do you?" Usagi asked pointedly. "Look, it's late. It's a school day tomorrow. Let's meet up around four if you want to talk about this more."

"We need to plan how we intend to deal with Beryl as well," Nephrite pointed out.

"Right, four o'clock, Hikawa Shrine. You will _all_ be there!" Rei ordered firmly.

Usagi nodded in agreement and turned to head home.

A pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist not a full minute later. "What about me?" Mamoru asked softly into her ear. "Will I be left behind, because I'm human, while you go and build your palace on the Moon?"

Usagi shook her head. "We met on the Moon, remember?" she said with a smile.

Mamoru blinked. "So we did," he recalled. "Ah. I suppose I'll be just fine then?" he guessed as he recalled that he had been prince of the entire _planet_, not merely some kingdom on it. Endymion had been no more human than Serenity. He was Terran, where she was Lunarian (and that distinction was like comparing a Japanese person to a Chinese person), but he wasn't _human_. To compare what they were to humans was like to compare... a horse and a donkey. Sure they _looked_ a lot alike, but they weren't actually the same thing.

~oOo~

With all ten of them working together, none of Beryl's monsters had been much of a challenge at all, and when confronted with all of them, alive, well, barely winded, and carrying the Silver Crystal, Beryl hadn't really stood a chance. A couple of weeks after that, it was Usagi's fifteenth birthday.

Mamoru asked her father for permission to date his daughter at her birthday party. Fortunately for his case, Ikuko overheard his conversation with Kenji, and decided to intervene before her husband could blow his top and ruin Usagi's birthday.

Or make a scene in public, since they were having Usagi's birthday party at the Crown Arcade.

"I think it's a wonderful idea," Ikuko said, her voice quiet but firm as she lay a gently restraining hand on her husband's arm. "Chiba-san is a smart, responsible young man who we already know, and who clearly cares about our Usagi. With her turning fifteen now, and growing up, other boys are going to start taking an interest in her. If she's dating Chiba-san, then we don't have to worry about her going on secret dates with some boy in her class who we've never met, and we can count on Chiba-san to bring her home on time from things like school dances that she'll start attending now that she's getting older," she pointed out.

Kenji maintained his scowl, but nodded. It was clearly a very reluctant action, but his wife made good points, and apart from wanting to date Usagi, Kenji generally _liked_ the young man. He supposed that, really, he would be hard pressed to choose better for her, however much he was determined that no one would ever be good enough for his little princess.

Mamoru bowed solemnly. "Thank you, Tsukino-san," he said, and then straightened to go and find Usagi so he could share the good news with her.

The married couple had her father's permission to date. He barely stifled a laugh at the irony, but couldn't help the joyous sound as he lifted Usagi off the floor and twirled her around in his arms.

"Look how happy he makes her," Ikuko noted to Kenji.

He sighed. "She's not allowed to grow up," he complained.

Ikuko shook her head fondly. "She'll always be our baby girl, but she's also going to grow up. That's all there is to it."

~Epilogue~

Usagi was finally eighteen and graduated from school. Mamoru had finished medical school, and though there was more he could do, the years had convinced him that for all he very much wanted to be a doctor, he had another calling now. The various battles with aliens and misguided fools controlled by Chaos that needed to be freed, meeting the Outer Senshi, dealing with the Dark Moon Clan, the cross-dressing Starlights and _their_ princess...

And of course meeting the little girl who was apparently their _daughter_ in a possible (depressing) future timeline.

Usagi and Mamoru had sat down and had a _very_ serious discussion about children once Chibi-Usa had finally left. And parenting techniques. And the merits of sons over daughters.

But now, with their Big White Wedding looming large in the near future (and being organised by the Senshi and the Shitennou and by Usagi's mother, so really Usagi only had to pick her dress), they were having a sit-down discussion about courses and universities.

"There are perfectly good universities here in Japan Mamoru," Usagi pointed out.

"Tokyo-U is very good," he agreed. "But Harvard in America, or Oxford in Britain are more globally recognised, and we'd be experiencing another culture and polishing our skills with English, which is rapidly becoming a global language," he continued.

"And have you thought about how would the Shitennou react to you being in a different country?" Usagi questioned. "Or how the Senshi would react to _me_ being somewhere they can't keep an eye on me?"

Mamoru winced. "You're right," he answered. "Tokyo-U it is."

"Government, politics, law, economics..." Usagi listed off with an unhappy sigh. "Nothing _fun_."

Mamoru smiled softly in sympathy. "Life has been a bit too exciting to be much fun, hasn't it? Let's leave the university discussion alone for now, and go to an amusement park instead."

Usagi giggled and kissed Mamoru's cheek. "That sounds great," she agreed.

~The End~


End file.
